|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Tramways
History
The
Pioneers
Rosario
was the third city of the Argentine Republic in counting on tramway service
through horse-traction (after Buenos Aires and Paraná). In
November 3rd, 1872 was inaugurated the first route of the “Compañía
Anónima Tramways del Rosario” among the Plaza (Square) General López
(current Pellegrini Avenue and Laprida St.) and the port (in proximities
of the current Belgrano Avenue and Laprida St.). Around the beginning
of 1873 was built a branch until the station of the Central Argentine Railway.
(Wheelwright Avenue and Corrientes St.) and in 1874 was made other so much
until the recently inaugurated “Colegio Nacional” (July 9th St. among Necochea
and Chacabuco streets). Toward 1882 this company counting on 12 cars,
30 personnel and 60 horses of daily use on a greater quantity in the public
holidays.
In
May 1886 was inaugurated the first route of the “Tramway Anglo-Argentino”,
with head-board in the station of the Central Argentine Rly. and a circuit
that was crossing the then small urban rosarine conglomerate. Little
after, in 1887 was released to the service the “Tramway Rosarino del Norte”,
with a vast line course to the North until the by then Alberdi town (which
in 1919 was incorporated to Rosario city) with small secondary lines in
the central urban zone. In said year there was on development 327
blocks of tramway lines, with a total movement of more than 3.5 million
of annual passengers.
During
1888 was built and put on operation the “Tramway del Saladillo”, that linked
to the downtown with the residential district of the South zone next to
an resort installed on the same name creek. In December of the following
year was inaugurated the line of the “Sociedad Anónima Compañía
de Tramways del Oeste” that was arriving to the Eloy Palacios town (then
Barrio Vila, Rosario).
In
1890 already had installed 587 blocks (77 kilometers) of track, with a
total fleet of 78 cars, 1242 horses and 394 personnel; they were
transported approximately 7 million of annual passengers. During
the following years, were not incorporated other companies, but the previous
built new lines; also they disappeared some from they, as that of
the “Sociedad Anónima Compañía de Tramways del Oeste”
that it was leased by that of “Anglo-Argentino” and around the end of Nineteenth
Century was merged this with that of “Tramway Rosarino del Norte”.
The
“Electricals” Arrives
After
an experimental trial in La Plata city (province of Buenos Aires) and of
the beginning in 1897 of the electrical traction services in Buenos Aires,
already in 1899 was presented the first proposal of the same type of services
in Rosario. It was not however until 1905 in which it was called
to bidding for the construction and development of an electric tramway
system; the grant was agreed by a period of 55 years on September
15th, 1905 to the “Compañía General de Tramways Eléctricos
del Rosario” (Electric Tramways General Company of Rosario, C.G.T.E.R.).
The first route in be inaugurated was Nº 9, set in service October
31st, 1906 (though the effective date of beginning was that of following
day).
Progressively
they were been building other fourteen lines, counting in their first years
on an fleet of 100 large coaches (40 seats) and 60 small coaches (28 seats),
in addition to several coupled tows.
The
strong growth experimented by Rosario in the first decades of the Twentieth
Century was seen reflected in the quantity of passengers transported by
the C.G.T.E.R. (be present in account that the last horse tramway let of
circulating around the end of the 1900s decade) when in 1906 was predicted
to transport some 10 million of passengers, in 1918 already were transported
more than 22 million and in 1925 was surpassed the figure of 55 million
of annual passengers. This was reflected in a progressive deterioration
of service quality; though the C.G.T.E.R. reinforced their fleet (reaching
a total of 271 motor coaches) and released to the service some new routes,
the claims of the public and the authorities reached his climax in 1923,
when Rosario Municipality authorized the free traffic and development of
buses for urban public transportation. Little after the C.G.T.E.R.
negotiated with the Municipality an extension of 10 years to its grant
contract, in exchange for the one which the first were committed to build
new routes, as well as to widen some of the already existing.
However
around the end of the decade of 1920s, the ruinous competition of the private
buses as well as the world economic depression hardly impacted in the finances
of the tramway company, that as of 1927 let of perceiving profits.
This
situation was steadily aggravated being arrived February 11th, 1932 to
suspend the services, situation that was extended during 27 days.
Finally, the Municipality created an Investigating Commission so that studied
the possible solutions. On June 27th this Commission was expressed
in favor of total municipalization of transportation services (tramways,
buses and micro-buses).
The
“Mixed”
The
“Empresa Municipal Mixta de Transporte del Rosario” (Mixed Municipal Transportation
Company of Rosario, E.M.M.T.R.) began the services on September 16th, 1932,
lacking any type collaboration of the C.G.T.E.R. (the one which in due
time it was indemnified concerning its fixed assets) and was given beginning
to a systematical plan of vehicles, tracks, contact lines and electrical
infrastructure repairs.
Parallely,
it was begun the acquisition of the particular vehicles affected to urban
public transportation, process that peaked in second half of the 1930s,
reaching the monopoly and putting under way an ambitious modernization
plan, that included the construction of a series of experimental tramways
whose technical characteristics were similar to those of European forefront
units.
The
E.M.M.T.R. inaugurated several lines that they were partially built in
the last years of the C.G.T.E.R. (for example, route Nº 26 for La
Plata Avenue -current Ovidio Lagos- from February 27th Boulevard until
Battle and Ordoñez St.), being reached an extension of 178 track
kilometers in service.
The
“E.M.T.R.”
Toward
1944 the E.M.M.T.R. had arrived to repurchase to their private shareholders
all the titles by them owned (from the beggining the municipal participation
was preponderant in the integration of the capital of the company).
In that time was constituted the “Empresa Municipal de Transporte de Rosario”
(Municipal Transportation Company of Rosario, E.M.T.R.) that with the impulse
that had given to her previous management could prosecute with their important
modernization projects (in spite of the effects that conceited the warlike
conflict that reduced to the minimal the automotive services by the lack
of tyres and specialized parts). The tramways sustained a strong
loads and inclusive was experienced the construction of several mechanical
tramways impelled with naphta motors (nicknamed “Santa Marta”) that however
they did not be successful lasting. In 1945 were transported in Rosario
more than 133 million of passengers, of those which almost 110 million
made it in tramways, 15 million in omnibus, little but of 6 million
in
micro-buses and almost 2 million in mechanical tramways.
Also
they were acquired several used tramways to the “Compañía
de Tramways de Quilmes y Balneario” (Tramways Company of Quilmes and Resort,
of Quilmes city, province of Buenos Aires) those which were almost immediately
put in service to reinforce the local fleet, that with the manufacture
of several units in the own shops of the E.M.T.R. almost permitted to reach
the quantity of 300 tramway motor cars.
The
“E.T.R.”
With
the implementation of the new social and salary policies, and without power
to readjust the tariffs pursuant to the increases in prices of the input
and necessary parts to prosecute with an ordered development of the services,
the finances of the E.M.T.R. were seen progressively deteriorated to the
point of requiring important subsidies. At the beginning of the 1950s
the Municipality transferred the administration and explotation to the
Government of the Province of Santa Fe, through the creation of the “Empresa
de Transporte de Rosario” (Transportation Company of Rosario, E.T.R.) that
though was continuing repairing and maintaining in service to the tramways,
was not carrying out new line constructions. In 1955 there were 25
tramway routes on a track extension of 169 kilometers, transporting 109
million of passengers, against
50
million transported by 24 omnubus routes (the micro-buses had been abandoned
in 1953).
In
second half of the 1950s, arrived of Buenos Aires several tramways that
they were put in service to bearing the already acute problems generated
for lack of investment in repair and modernization of the local units (the
majority with more than 50 years in service). Also entered scene
the trolleybuses, that as of 1959 replaced to the tramways in some of the
trunk lines (to see Trolleybus History).
Last
Days
At
the beginning of the 1960s, continuing a mode that by then was making rage
in large part of the world (to exception of the Europe North and the communist
block) was decided the liquidation of the Argentine tramway systems.
In October, 1960 was get ready the progressive elimination of the tramways
and the transfer of transportation services to the private capital (in
the form of cooperative integrated by ancient working of the E.T.R., in
many cases with buses transferred to extremely low prices).
It
was given beginning to a progressive dismantlement of the vehicles (according
to recall eyewitnesses, the orders were of “not let no piece that surpassed
30 centimeters size”) accordant these were let outside of service with
the progressive substitution of their/its respective lines by automotive
units.
Such
is as around the end of 1962, only were remaining in operation the tramway
routes Nº 1, 2, 4, 6, 10 and 21, those which will arrive to operate
until the day February 11th, 1963, date of the final of the service.
The
End
The
day February 12th, 1963 was accomplished a ceremony as compared to the
perrons of the local Municipal Palace, of the one which took part the coaches
Nº 278 and 281, aboard of those which ascended the local authorities
headed by the Municipal Commissioner; below both cars departed course
to the headquarters of the offices and shops of the E.T.R. (Pellegrini
corner Ovidio Lagos Avenues) where was accomplished traveled an by the
facilities and was ended with a symbolic court of electrical current.
Progressively
it was continued with the delivery of tramway bodyshells what was carried
to such point that was not let no tramway (of the more than 300 that there
was) for their historical preservation; only it was preserved -of completely
precarious way - the bodyshell of the coach Nº 291 (ex Quilmes) only
remaining of the extinguish Rosario tramway system.
Sources: