Ferrocarril Central Andino

The line starts at the port city of Callao and goes through Lima and the Desamparados station parallel to the Rímac River. It crosses into Junín state via the Galera Tunnel, the second highest railroad tunnel in the world. It reaches La Oroya, where it splits in two: the southern branch goes to Huancayo, while the northern branch (previously a line operated by a mining company) goes into Pasco region, through Cerro de Pasco (the regional capital) to the Goyllarisquizga coal mines. Formerly a branch split off at Cerro de Pasco and ran into Pachitea Province in Huánuco region. There are 27 stations. In June 2006, the Peruvian government agreed that FCCA should go ahead with converting the gauge Ferrocarril Huancayo–Huancavelica to gauge. Estimated to take 16 months, the US$33m project was to be funded jointly by the government and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. This project was finished by October 2010. RDC has suggested the building of a , US$2 billion tunnel in the Andes, to reduce the total Lima to Huancayo journey from twelve hours to under five. == History ==

In 1851, engineer Ernest Malinowski proposed to extend the newly opened Lima to Callao railroad as far as the valley of Jauja. Malinowski, a Polish expatriate, was voluntarily exiled in Peru by political problems in his country, occupied at that time by Germany, Russia and Austria. The government commissioned Felipe Barreda, Mariano Felipe Paz Soldán, and Manuel Marrón to report in detail on the project. This commission devised a detailed plan for the railroad which, after approval by the Peruvian Congress, was integrated with the Malinowski proposal. The Peruvian Congress named a new commission to make recommendations on alternate construction plans. This second commission delivered a meticulous report of the four possible routes that it had explored and evaluated: • By the gorge of the Rímac River, starting in Lima and proceeding through Matucana, San Mateo and Tarma. • By the gorge of the Chillón River, from Lima, through Horseman, Yangas, Obrajillo, Casachanca and Carhuacancha • Along the Chancay River, from Lima, through Chancay, Macas, Huamantanga, Huaillay and Cerro de Pasco • Along the Lurín River, from Lima, through Lurín, Sisicaya, Tupicocha, San Damián, Tuctucocha, Pumacocha, Basket, Tarma and Jauja. According to the report, construction of the proposed line was possible but difficult by the Rímac gorge, almost impossible by the Chillón gorge, impossible by the Chancay, but very easy by the Lurín. This last option was the choice of engineer Gerrit Backus, reputed to be one of the most able professionals in the design and construction of railway routes. This third phase lasted until March 1866 when work stopped due to the war with Spain. In the early phase of construction, German-Lithuanian immigrant, Felipe Westhoff, was sent to find out railway sleeper for the railway. Westhoff arrived this way to Guaitecas Archipelago in Chile where stands of Pilgerodendron uviferum () were logged. For the purpose of overseeing the business, he founded the settlement of Melinka. It is the second highest railway in the world (following opening of the Qingzang railway in Tibet), with the Galera summit tunnel under Mount Meiggs at and Galera station at 4,781 m (15,681 ft), requiring constructional feats, including many switchbacks and around 69 tunnels and 58 bridges. In 1923 a branch was opened from Ticlio (making it the world's highest junction) to Morococha via La Cima ( above sea level), from where, in April 1955, a spur line opened to Volcán Mine, reaching an (at the time) world record altitude of . Both branch and spur have since closed to traffic. After a period of operation by the nationalized entity Empresa Nacional de Ferrocarriles del Perú (ENAFER), in July 1999, the government awarded a divisible consortium led by Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) of Pittsburgh, and Lorenzo Sousa's Peruval Corp who was awarded the South and Southeast railways, a concession to operate the former Ferrocarril del Centro for 30 years. Investors in Ferrocarril Central Andino include RDC, Juan Olaechea & Company, Minas Buenaventura, ADR Inversiones, and Inversiones Andino. == Rolling stock ==

1001 near the summit In its early days, the line relied mainly on steam locomotives imported from the United States, but in the twentieth century the most characteristic type were the oil-fired 2-8-0s from Beyer, Peacock & Company of Manchester. No. 206 of this type is retained for special workings. 1941 the company owned 47 steam locomotives, 13 railcars, 71 coaches and 978 goods wagons. The first diesels for road operations were delivered from Alco in 1963. In 2006 FCCA began a program to convert five General Electric C30-7 locomotives and two GE C39-8 locos to run on compressed natural gas and diesel fuel. Around 2020–2021, FCCA acquired two former CSX C40-8Ws numbered 7311 and 7374. In 2024, FCCA picked up two GE C41-8Ws from Union Pacific, former UP 9532 and 9521. That same year, FCCA purchased 19 EMD F40PH locomotives from Caltrain along with 90 Nippon Sharyo Gallery cars, some being cab cars for push-pull configuration - the first of their kind in Peru, for commuter services in Greater Lima. They will begin commuter rail services on the Lima–Chosica route in 2026. With their arrival, Peru became the 2nd South American country to operate bilevel cars. == Traffic and tourism ==

Traffic includes minerals (mainly from La Oroya), fuels, cement and food products. The route runs through and is famous for the spectacular landscapes of the Peruvian Andes. Although there is now no regular passenger traffic, currently FCCA offers several tourist trips per month from Lima to Huancayo, according to a previously published schedule. == See also ==