The Transandean ("across-the-Andes") Railway connects Buenos Aires (bw-ns-i´ rs), Argentina and Valparaiso (vl´ pä-ri´ s) Chile. It is 886 miles long. As its name says, it crosses the Andes. In the early eighties the railway was being built in Argentina. Work was started on the Valparaiso end in 1889. The two parts were built to the Andes. But the pass across the range (12,000 ft. above sea level) was not suited to railroad building. So far a number of years goods and people were carried across the mountains on sure-footed animals. In this way the gap in the railroad was bridged. In 1909 engineers began to tunnel through the mountains a few miles above the station here seen. A glance at the peaks beyond the station suggests the problems of the engineers. The tunnel had to be almost 2 miles long, and it was 2 miles above sea level. It is 18 feet wide, and 16 feet high. Work began Nov. 25, 1909. On April 5, 1910, the first train was sent through it. It was a great piece of work done in a wonderfully short time. It cost $2,500,000. Now one can travel from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso in 36 hours, thanks to the tunnel. Name a trans-continental railroad in the United States. In Asia. Railroad development in South America has been slow. Some of the countries have made a good beginning. But in many sections the people lack enterprise. Many of the roads constructed were laid out by American engineers and paid for with American capital. The western countries of the continent have the Andes to overcome. In many places railroads cannot be built or would not pay. Keystone ID: 21860 Note: All titles, descriptions, and location coordinates are from the original Keystone Slide documentation as supplied by the Keystone View Company. No text has been edited or changed.