Southern Fuegian Railway, Heritage railway in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
The Southern Fuegian Railway is a narrow-gauge line in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, running through forests of lenga beech and southern beech trees between three stations west of Ushuaia. The route crosses the Pipo River on a wooden bridge and passes through peat valleys to the entrance of Tierra del Fuego National Park.
The railway began in 1909 as a means to transport timber and supplies to Ushuaia Prison, and inmates built the route and bridges under harsh weather conditions. After the prison closed in 1947, the line fell into disrepair until it reopened as a tourist railway in 1994.
The locomotives carry names of famous prisoners from the penal colony, and guards in period uniforms greet passengers on the platforms. Onboard, audio commentary tells stories of the workers who once laid these tracks through the subantarctic forest.
The journey lasts about one hour and runs at an altitude of around 656 feet (200 meters) above sea level, with steep grades in some sections. Visitors should bring warm clothing, as temperatures in the region can remain cool even during summer months.
The track gauge measures only 19.7 inches (500 millimeters), making it one of the narrowest operating railways in South America. Some of the wooden sleepers date back to the penal colony era and are over a century old.
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