Climbing the Andes off the beaten path: Even today, there are adventurous tracks in Latin America hardly ever visited by any gricer. Among these is certainly the Chañaral - Llantas Potrerillos line in Chile's 'Little North'. When I was planning our trip, I was unable find more than a handful of pictures despite extensive research in the web. Google Map, though, revealed how spectacular the line must be. It connects Chañaral at the Pacific coast with Potrerillos, a remote mining town in the Andes on 2850m/ 9350ft. On the last 66km between Llantas and Potrerillos, the railroad first passes a rugged, lonesome valley and finally winds up to the terminus of the line, passing a breathtaking mountain scenery. December 17, 2009.

The Railroad Chañaral - Potrerillos, today operated by Ferronor, actually belongs to Codelco, a state owned copper mining company. Workshop and operational centre are at Llantas a few miles up from the town of Diego de Almagro, where the line once connected with the state railway's 'longino' (longitude railroad). Here, two GR 12U struggle against the 3.9% grade, moving copper concentrate to the smelter at Potrerillos. December 17, 2009.

The valley narrows as the line climbes further, passing the 'Quebrada del Río Salado'. (Salt River Gorge) The locomotives often run with open machine room doors, which allowed enjoying the sound of the EMD units unadulterated. Here, this was even echoed by the Río Salado Gorge to a sondscape that could hardly have been topped!

A mechanic was constantly moving forth and back from the first unit to the second; here he is waiving the photographer from the machine room of the first unit. (See also picture on top!)

Nach einigen Kilometern wird das Tal zunehmend enger, und die Bahn passiert schliesslich die 'Qebrada del Río Salado' (Schlucht des Rio Salado). Die Lokomotiven fahren hier häufig mit geöffneten Maschinenraumtüren, was den ungetrübten Genuss der Soundkulisse der EMD Loks ermöglicht. Dies wurde durch den Widerhall in der engen Schlucht noch gesteigert - ein kaum zu übertreffendes Spektakel! 

Nebst dem Lokführer war auch ein Mechaniker auf den Maschinen und wechselte während der Fahrt ständig von der einen zur anderen Lok, die sich offensichtlich nicht im bestem Zustand befanden. Hier winkte er dem Fotografen aus dem Maschinenraum der ersten Einheit zu, siehe dazu auch das erste Bild ganz oben!

Also the line itself was spectacular, and new spots could be found virtually after ever corner of the valley. December 17, 2009.

Most locomotives of the Ferronor Potrerillos appear rather filthy after years of continuous operation on the mountain line with its many tunnels. Also, heavy loads have to be transported uphill, since the smelter and the refinery are located at the upper end of the line, which takes its toll from the motive power. December 17, 2009.

At Encanche with its water tower we captured this downhill from Potrerillos. December 19, 2009.

At Montandón, the line describes a horseshoe curve. In the last sunrays of a day, a train with empty tank cars for sulphiric acid runs downhill. December 17, 2009.

Above Montandón, the line follows breathtakingly along mountain slopes and rock faces. To reach this spot about 200m above the foot of the valley, some drops of sweat were inevitable when hiking up here in the afternoon heat! December 18, 2009.

The American Andes Copper Mining Company, a subsidiary of the Anaconda Company, built the railroad, the smelter and the mine at Portrerillos from 1916 onwards. The challenges involved in building the necessary infrastructure are reflected by the fact that it took more than 10 years to complete the railroad, the smelter, water systems, housing and road in this barren, lonesome area. 

The barren, rugged scenery has a fascination of its own. About 15 minutes before, the train had passed the line down in the valley. After proceeding through a horseshoe curve and a few tunnels, it now climbed along steep mountain slopes towards tunnel 6. December 19, 2009.

Between rocks and the sky, two GR 12 struggle with a freight uphill. Its just incredible how steep the boulders on the hillslopes are. December 19, 2009.

After climbing right to the upper edge of the cañon, the line passes the ridge in a short tunnel. This leads into a hilly landscape, where the line further climbs to Portrerillos, passing multiple loops and tunnels. Potrerillos today is an inaccessible, uninhabited ghost town; an impression is given here. About ten years ago, the authorites decided that the environment was too contaminated for living there any more and relocated the whole population to other towns nearby. 

In the last sunrays of a day, a downhill passes an abandoned railway shack above tunnel 7. December 19, 2009.

In Northern Chile, light can be extremely harsh in Summer days. That means you need to go for the early morning and late afternoon light, which often ends up in long days out there in the desert. We didn't mind, and were rewarded here for getting up early by a train in the first morning light near Montandón. December 20, 2009.

Another day, another early morning donwhill: Two C'C' EMD GR 12 move copper cathodes, empty acid cars and hoppers towards Llantas. Note the old American tank cars that are still in service on this railroad. Picture taken near Montandón, December 18, 2009.

A EMD G12 B'B' heads an acid train up to Potrerillos. The El Salado Río in the foreground got its name originally from its high salt content, which accounts for the white sediments. But unfortunately, salt is not the only substance. Between 1926 and 1975, the Potrerillos - El Salvador mines dumped 150 millions of tons of flotation tailings in suspension through the Salado river to the sea in the  Chañaral Bay, contaminating not only the creek and its environment by toxic substances, but also the seashore, resulting in a displacement of the shore line of more than one kilometer further out into the ocean (!). December 19, 2009.

At the lower end of the Rio Salado Cañon, a freight winds downhill. If you plan to visit this spectacular railroad, you should not wait for too long: Codelco plans to shut down the El Salvador - Potrerillos copper production by 2012, so this great line may soon be history. December 19, 2009.