Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-02
RAILROAD Is TO Be
BUILT ACROSS ANDES
Notable Feat to Cross High
Range of South American
Mountains Undertaken.
GOVERNMENT TAKES HAND

Correspondence OF The Associated Prcss)
Valparaiso, Chile, Dec. l0.-The
Department of Public Works has
again seriously taken under consider
alton the proposition of constructing
the Chilean end of the new Trans
Andine railway. The line, which Of
fetal reports say will be built at the
earliest possible moment, will connect
the Argentine port of Bahia Blanca
with Lebu and will cross the Andes
in the foreign regions Of Lonquimay,
The Argentine end of the new trans
continental has been completed to
within thirty kilomctcrs of the Chilean
frontier where work has halted to
await like development on the west
crn slope OF the Andes.
That Chile has not as yet built the
section is due to difference OF opin-
ion among government engineers as
to the most available route. Two
counter projects have been urged in
the chamber of deputies. These call
for lines across the mountains of CEN
trail and northern Chile, but the ex-
haustlve report of Senior Domingo
Duran, government expert, which has
Just been submitted, seems to have
settled the matter in favor of the
southern pass.
Start in the South.
The bleak nature of the Andes in
the northern and central parts, with
the liability of avalanches which
might block the line for months, has
apparently determined the govern
ment to commerce work in the south
where the forests of the high plat
eaus will hold the sliding SHOWS.
At the present semi-weekly trains
are running regularly between Buenos
Aires and Valparaiso over the exist
ing trans-Andine road which crosses
the great plateau through the Uspal-
lata Pass, 1900 feet above the level
of the sea. The twice-a-week scrv-
ice, which was maintained before the
great war, was discontinued until a
fortnight ago, when it was resumed
because traffic across the Panama
canal has created a profitable pas
senger Service for the South Ameri-
can trans-continental. Many Ameri-
cans are now experiencing the thrill
of crossing the highest mountain
range in the world, and OF seeing from
car windows those majestic peaks, the
close hand view of which has hereto
fore been reserved for experienced
and adventurous mountain climbers.
The boundary line between the Ar
gentine and Chile consists of 1000
miles of Andes peaks, most of which
are over $4,000 feet high and some of
which rise to 1900 feet. This mas
sive barrier can be crossed in but
a few places even by men on foot, and
the building of the new trans-conti-
mental will be a notable engineering
feat 1t is expected that by the time
It has been completed the war in
Europe will have terminated and suf-
ficient traffic for both lines will be
available.
At present the crossing from ocean
to ocean, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso,
consumes only thirty-nine hours less
time than on any other trans-conti-
mental line if the isthmian roads at
Tehuantepec and Panama be ex-
cepted. A $50 in the morning the
train leaves ,Buenos Aires. Reaching
the mountains change to a narrow
guage cog-wheel road is made. When
the summit is gained the train is
putting 1900 feet above the level of
the sea and the international tunnel,
nearly three miles in length, is en-
tered. Ten minutes of darkness en-
sues and the train burst out into the
binding light of the high plateau
which is Chile. The descent is made
more rapidly, still by cog-wheel road.