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History
Which was the motive to replace the steam locomotives? what would they be replaced with? Why and what for?
These questions are cleared up in the chapter of the book "Railroads of Chile. History and Organization", published in 1943, by Emilio Vasallo and Carlos Matus Gutiérrez. The Electrification of the 1st Zone of the Chilean State Railways by Atilio Bavestrello, which we invite to know.
The electrification of the 1st Zone of the Chilean State Railways
By Atilio Bavestrello
The repercussion of the world crisis provoked by the conflict war of the year 1914, next to the scarcity and shortage of the fuel created a raises excessive in the cost of exploitation of the Railroads of the State. These antecedents next to the constant and old yearning of the General Direction to improve the installations, hurried the decision of electrification the railway network.
With such motive was commissioned the engineers, Rafael Edwards and Ricardo Solar Puga, so that they studied the convenience and way to carry to the practice the electrification.
Said engineers along 1918 developed an study upon the conditions of exploitation of the steam traction in the south network. For it they complemented the meantime national statistical data as of more advanced countries that ours, with a series of determinations experimental in the same service in which permitted to be formed an exact idea upon all the aspects of the traction to steam in that epoch.
Acquaintance in detail the steam servic, they could compare it with the one that would result electrifing the network. This comparison indicated them clearly where and when was convenient to change the system.
In November 20, 1918 they delivered the General Director Manuel Trucco Franzani, a complete report upon the job entrusted.
In the study was considered since the same production of the energy, inasmuch as they did not exist to the season but small plants private neighbors to the girdle that understands to the lines railways, arriving so to the conclusion that was more convenient for the Business to undertake only the electrification of the lines railways, without considering the construction of head Offices, and to deliver the supply of energy to an or several businessesPrivate existing or that they could be established for such end.
As for the economic aspect, the recommendation was done to begin the project by one of the zones, to do not leave out of great service quantity of material to steam in good conditions of operation, what there would be arised in useless and unnecessary form the cost of the new installations. It was resolved, then, to begin for the First Zone: Santiago, Valparaíso, Los Andes, that constituted that of greater and more important traffic, every time that is the way of communication among the capital and the first port of the Republic, of a side. and by another, the connection among said line and the railroad transandine, way Buenos Aires. Aside from this it counted to its favour with being the line of greater gradients and to possess the most favourable local conditions for ofto roll the project. Add besides, the circumstance to be found very next to the saturation the traffic in this line.
Once it accepted the report was created the office of Electrification in charge of the engineer mister Rafael Edwards with the engineer mister Ricardo Solar Puga, as second leader. This office elaborated meticulously the studies tending toward concluding the bases of the sheet of conditions to which should be submitted the proposals that were presented for the electrification of the lines gauge wide of the first Zone, and besides, the sheet of conditions to that they should be adjusted the relative proposals to the necessary supply of energy for the traction and accessory services.
During the study of the conditions, the engineers to its charge, in the persecution of the most modern systems had adopted the voltaje of 3.000 volts., that in that epoch recently was practiced in the main railroads of United States
Said commission during the year 1919 visited the main railroads electrificated of that country, taking advantage of the opportunity of witnessing the tests that were done in the factories and in full exploitation in the line of the new locomotives to 3.000 volts current continuous for the Chicago Milwakee St. Paul Railroad, whose characteristics are similar to the of our lines by its gradientes high and nature of the traffic of passengers and freight.
To the return of the commission and in agreement with the bases already approved previously, the petition of proposed public was done, so that they participated in them all the houses interested, March 30, 1920. Proposed that were opened June 30, 1921. The houses oponentes in that opportunity were:
1.- Errázuriz Simpson and Cía. with material of the American factory Westinghouse Electric International Co.
2.- International General Electric Co.
3.- Siemens Schuckert and Allgemeine Elektricitaetz Geselschaft.
4.- Rodolfo Wedeles, by the Swiss house Ateliers of Construction Oerlikon.
They studied comparatively said proposals was resolved to accept it presented by the firm Errázuriz Simpson and Cía that offered to carry out the works with material of the Westinghouse Electric International Co. in the time limit of two years by a price raised of
US$6.290.808,84 more than CH$ 2.334.195,66 (chilean pesos)
A study detailed of some of the items of the referring original proposal mainly to buildings, posts, wires and to the system indicator and limitator of power, permitted to do modifications in the works to that said items referred, in benefit not only of the Railroads but of the country, trying the production in Chile and with materials and personal national of appreciable part of the works.
As for the proposals upon supply of energy, was accepted the offering of the Chilean Electric Tranway and Light Co. Ltda., associate to the National Company of Electric Strength, that offered energy in the side of high tension of the subestations of the Railroad in: Rungue, Llay Llay and San Pedro to 44.000 volts and in Quilicura and Viña del Mar to 12.000 volts, current trifásic of 50 periods by second to a price of $ 0.02 gold sealed of 18 peniques for Kilowatt Hour, more $ 7.50 gold 18 peniques monthlyWatt of maximum demand measurement each room of hour, having guaranteed the Business to the Chilean Electric Tranway and Light Co. a total consumption of 30 million Kilowatt hours, guarantee that governs since 6 months after begun the service.
This contract permitted to it mentioned Company, today Chilean Electricity
Co. Ltd. to extend its lines to Viña del Mar supplying electric energy to large factories and mining exploitations as Cement Melón and other carrying in short, this indispensable element of progress so much industrialist as urban. to a vast and rich region of the national territory.
It accepted the proposals, the house contratist initiated the shipment of material and personal technician for the development of the installations. It began with the posting to follow with the air line at the same time that the reinforcement of the way was practiced, lower of tunnels and modification of the telephone and telegraphic layout of lines that would be affected by the electrification.
The jobs were initiated since Santiago to Valparaíso.
The first subestation delivered to the service went that of Quilicura, in whose yard the instruction was initiated of engineers.
Subsequently some characteristic general techniques of interest of the works are noted carried out.
Length of ways electrificated
Santiago - Valparaíso 186 Km. 115 miles
Las Vegas - The Andes 45 Km. 28 miles
Twin way and turnouts 149 Km. 93 miles
_________
Total 380 Km. 236 miles
Locomotives:
The normal service was attended with 39 locomotives Baldwin Westinghouse distributed in four types indicated subsequently together with some characteristics of the same:
6 express locomotives of 115 tons. Of 2250 H. P. with 6 capable motors to drag trains of 300 tons.
15 locomotives freight of 102,5 tons. of 1680 H. P. with 6 capable motors to drag trains of 770 tons.
11 local locomotives of 72,5 tons. of 1500 H. P. with 4 motors.
7 switch locomotives of 62 tons. of 560 H. P. with 4 motors.
The Express and freight locomotives types are equipped with system of regeneración patented by the Westinghouse that permits to the motors of the locomotives to work like generators, exiting it with current taken of the circuit of services you help, lighting and control to 90 volts, producing energy, that is returned to the line, instead of applying brakes what represents economy for the Business and greater confort for the passengers due to smoothness of this electric brake
Overhead (Catenary
Wire) :
The system was adopted catenary simple to 3.000 volts. The thread of contact is of hard copper type 4/or B & S of 0.95 Kg. by meter, of 107 mm2 of Section.
The mensager that maintains to the thread of contact and constitutes the catenary exactly such, is of steel Martin Siemens of 9.5 mm. of composed diameter of 7 threads.
The posts are of concrete assembled type grating placed to 60 mts.(197 ft) among itself. in straight line distance that is diminished in the curves according to the radio of them. These posts have an arm of which hang the catenary.
The height of troley is of 6 mts.(20 ft) that in tunnels is diminished to 4.5 mts.
(15ft)
Among Viña del Mar and Valparaíso the air line maintains by means of stiff frameworks gratings to attend to reasons of security and esthetics. In double way, curves and stations the air line is borne by catenarias transversals.
Electric Sub stations:
The alimentation of the air line is done by means of five sub stations placed to an average distance of 42 Kms. and that are found in: Quilicura, Rungue Llay Llay, San Pedro and Viña del Mar that receive the alternate energy in high tension of the lines of the Chilean Company of Electrity Ltda. The voltage is reduced in the sub stations to 2.300 volts by means of transforming static of 2.500 K. V. each one. These transformers feed a motor sincronic that drive two generators of 1.500 volts each one connected in series to obtain the 3.000 volts.
The power of these motor groups generators is of 2.000 Kw. and each sub station there is two of them.
Its normal power is of 4.000 Kw. being able to deliver 6.000 Kw. during two hours and 12.000 Kw. during five minutes.
The continuous current of 3.000 volts passes to the line of contact through a wire alimentator of aluminum, whose section varies among 200 and 400 mm2, that runs parallel to her and of which leave derivations, with wire of 107 mm2 each 300 meters.
Line of Return:
It is necessary besides a line or system conductor by which can return the current after passing for the locomotives. This it is done for the rails that go you united electrically with eclisas of 107 mm2de section except in the sector Llay-Llay-Cumbre where they were placed of 150 mm2. Besides this, a negative wire of aluminum of 85 mm2 runs besides the posts that maintains the catenary, except in the sectors where double way exists, and that carries connections to the rail each 1.500 m.
System Controlator of Power:
A line of control exists besides that part of the office of the Despatcher Electric and travels through the way taking indications of each sub station, the ones that himself totalize and translate in delicate instruments of it mentioned office, since which the same system upon the excitement of the generators of the sub stations can be operated by means of varying its voltaje in order to maintaining the average demand during each 15 minutes under level predeterminated, or to do desconections in the moments in which the volume of the traffic impedes to maintain the demand.
It serves also this circuit of control for totalize the energy consumed by the sub stations.
With all these services the copper conductors total weighs approximately 380 tons and the of aluminum 440 tons.
Value of the Works:
The total value of the investments of the electrificación of the first Zone went of 53 million pesos, legal currency, leaving available for other zones around 110 stam locomotives and the cars that were occupied in the transportation of coal, with a total value of 20 million and half of pesos. The net cost of the electrificación that corresponded to an increase of capital in the first zone went consequently of 32 millions and half of legal pesos currency.
Once they finished the installations the official inauguration with the President of the Republic was done Excmo. mister Arturo Alessandri Palma, being delivered little later to the service the first section Mapocho - Tiltil
on July 14, 1923, with the career of the train called Equipajero. The second section placed in service was Tiltil - Llay Llay and the last one was Llay Llay - Puerto.
The improvements noted immediately were: the march time decrease of the trains according to the picture subsequently:
AVERAGE DURATION OF THE TRIP
SERVICE Steam
Power Electric Power
% of Reduction
Express.
3 h 51' 3 h 15'
16
Ordinary
5 h 53'
4 h 05'
26
Freight Direct
11 h 55'
5 h 15'
56
And economically a descent in the cost of exploitation, as can be appreciated in the economic comparison fact the year 1926, by the then Chief one of the office of Electrification, Engineer mister Ricardo Solar Puga, in which a direct economy was verified due to the electrificación of
Ch $5.767.000 annual that represent a performance of the capital one of 17.4%, covering the interest and amortización and leaving an important margin of utility.
It is interesting to do to note that the rteam service was done with 132 locomotives and that the electric service was initiated with 39 locomotives, and the traffic grow up in 6.5%.
Aside from this it fits to consider that the major power to drag of the locomotives, the biggest velocity of the trains and the best utility than is possible to obtain in the electric locomotives, together with the security and better utility of the way that is obtained with the signal electric, permits to bear a notably greater traffic without need to enlarge the capital of the installations.
These reservations, in spite of its magnitude, went quickly full by circumstances of order turistic very special, being done necessary to enlarge the number of locomotives for the service of passengers, for which the acquisition of four express type was resolved, that entered service in the year 1930.
On the other hand, the urbanization of the neighboring towns to Valparaíso, permitted that great number of persons, was interested for inhabiting in them, being produced a local traffic each more intense time and volume.
Before this circumstance, the Business resolved to increase that service adopting a based on modern system units automotors, especially designed for such end, capable of developing great acceleration of departure, characteristic very important of these equipment destined to sub urban services, due to the great number of detentions in relatively short distances; besides, was contemplated the utility of the existing installations.
All those factors were studied detained by the Engineers of the Business, who they edited the stipulations for the acquisition of this new equipment, whose purchase was authorized for the Government in December of the year 1937.
The house Ferrostaal, A. G. of Essen, offered the most favorable economic conditions for said acquisition, by means of long-term credits and low interest. Once finiched all the financial procedures of order, a commission of technicians of the Business, was transferred to the factories to watch the construction of said units, the ones that finished the year 1939.
The present circumstances of war, they did not permit to the Business of the Railroads of the State, to obtain the complete fulfillment of part of the manufacturers, but, in spite of these objections was achieved the remisión of some of them, which according to the purposes of the service railway, provide an efficient and quick transportation, very appreciated by the porteños and public of the adjacent cities.
BENEFITS OF THE ELECTRIFICATION
The jobs executed in the electrificación of the first zone, do not only signify one of the works of greater importance for the country, by the general advantages that has brought to the development of our strengths hidroelectrics and the economic inherent in its employment, but went in its time, the work of electrification more important than was performed to that then, especially in continuous current of 3.000 volts. out of United states of North America.
Of significant importance, is to do to note that the direction and technical execution of the projects, specifications and resolutions of the proposals, as the inspection of the jobs and machineries in execution, was performed in its totality by Engineers and personal Chileans.
The technical test of capacity of the egresated of our Universities and establishments politecnics, remained shown one more time with the implantation of the services of electrification, whose maintenance continues without finding in its development difficulty of no kind. In this opportunity as in all the constructions railways, the Chilean worker showed a high spirit of asimilation and strong discipline as good worker.
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