La Trochita at El Maitén

In the Precordilleran valley furrowed by the Chubut River, El Maitén is located in the Chushamen department, in the province of Chubut. It is part of the Andean Region and has a close relationship with towns such as El Bolsón or Esquel. Its history is closely linked to the life of La Trochita, which departs from El Maitén on very valuable tourist walks through the cultural and natural environment.

A trip to La Trochita past

Until 1941, settlements in the region were linked to field activities. The arrival of the train changed the features of the nascent town to give it an urban rail modeling. Both characters can be seen in different constructions of the historic center. The creation of the Jacobacci-Esquel branch of the State Railways comes hand in hand with the attempt to develop the productive areas of Patagonia through the combination of the train with the seaports. The narrow trail was the most economical way. Due to its intermediate situation between the two headers, El Maitén was the ideal place to establish the general workshops. From then on, the settlement of rural farms gave way to a railway town. The locomotives and wagons transformed the soul of El Maitén. General stores and the plant were located near the workshops. Steam-powered locomotives need a complete reconstruction every eight years. These technical requirements justified the installation of appropriate workshops for such a colossal task. The necessary replacement parts were also manufactured there. On the other hand, the State intended to extend the useful life of locomotives and wagons. These concepts were detonators for the growth of the region. The splendor of the Old Patagonian Express as a freight train and passengers arrived until the 70s. Then the activity ceased to be profitable, new technologies replaced some means of transport, and the closure of the branch was decisive. Fortunately, the provincial government heard the different voices and saw the tourist line that would give respite to the people of El Maitén. At present, the railway workshops of El Maitén are the only ones that work in Patagonia and protect a technical and industrial conception that has expired in the world but that the inhabitants of El Maitén take care of with affection and sense of belonging. The National Steam Train Festival is held every February with sporting events, Creole skills, horse races, guided tours and train trips. The general workshops are witnesses of a bygone era and guardians of cultural heritage with their railway work. Those who approach El Maitén station to get on the emblematic narrow gauge train can learn deeply about the history of railway workshops, how La Trochita works, about its closed circuit and other curiosities with the self-guided circuit system of the Office of Tourism of El Maitén.