The most amazing train in the world, the one that takes you to the clouds, reaches a height of 4,200 meters in its 217 km trip.
It is one of the highest railways in the world, taking its way across the high picks of the Cordillera de los Andes, surrounded by striking sceneries. The train departs from the city of Salta, passes through the Valle de Lerma, enters the Quebrada del Toro and finally reaches La Puna.
It takes its name Tren a las Nubes, from the clouds that are often seen under bridges and around slopes.
The number of spirals, viaducts, tunnels and other twists and turns that the train passes through arises from a decision made by the designer of this project, the US engineer Richard Maury. He took into account the principle of adhesion of train wheels to the railways and the laws of physics, ruling out the funicular system commonly used, so that the train may safely reach the expected heights. The train has no cogwheels, not even for the steepest slopes, since the railways are peculiarly arranged, running through a system of zigzags and spirals.
The train leaves from the General Belgrano station in the city of Salta, 1187 meters above the sea level, and ends its journey at the viaduct. |
