Viaducto La Polvorilla, Puna de Salta, Argentina - Tour South America 2018 from the Drone - HD 4K

The Viaducto La Polvorilla was built in 1932 on the C-14 line of the General Belgrano Railway. Inaugurated in 1939, the viaduct joined Salta, Argentina and the harbor of Antofagasta, Chile with one of the World's highest railways: its top point is at 4,475 meters!
The 223 meter, 1,600 tons steel structure was designed by the north american engineer Richard Fontaine Maury and was built in Italy by Cantiere Navale Triestino of Monfalcone. The curved viaduct, built on six 64m-high steel pillars, has a 200m radius and is 4.5 m higher on the West side. The railway passes over the famous Ruta Nacional 40.
The smart use of bridges, spiral galleries (rulos), and zig-zag systems allowed to maintain an average inclination of 25 meters per kilometer on the whole line, avoiding the use of rack-and-pinion drives. The line was used in the past 4 decades for the touristic "Tren a la Nubes" but the service has been suspended recently for major structural problems encountered on the 217 km of railway between Salta and La Polvorilla.
***
Location: San Antonio de los Cobres - Viaducto La Polvorilla, Puna de Salta, Argentina (Coordinates: 24°12'10" S, 66°24'53" W)
Drone: Mavic Pro
Video Editing: Power Director 15
Tour Operator: Socompa, Salta
Special Guide: Gaston Huerga
Music: Gustavo Santaolalla - Inti Raymi (Standard KZbin Licence)
Video & Photo © Max Taverna 2018