The ATOC would be the world's 3rd longest tunnel capable of transporting 77 million tons of freight.

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the first passenger trip below the English Channel via the undersea rail tunnel connecting the U.K. and France. The first Eurostar train carried passengers along the 31-mile Chunnel on November 14, 1994. Seventeen years later to the day, Argentine and Chilean authorities will meet to discuss what could be an engineering feat of a similar length, magnitude and regional impact.

The Aconcagua Twin Ocean Connector (ATOC) is a proposal to connect Argentina and Chile via a 32-mile rail tunnel (the world’s third longest) beneath the Andes Mountains. Freight trains would transport the trucks that currently cross at the Cristo Redentor Pass, a treacherous serpentine highway which is often closed during the winter months. The lower altitude ATOC would provide a straight shot through the mountains and be open 365 days a year.

Considered by many to be the Panama Canal of South America, the Connector would be built in phases. The first phase single track could transport 15 million tons of freight per year, while the double-track third phase would boost that capacity to over 70 million. Trains could make the 126-mile run from Los Andes, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina in four hours. The expedited shipment of goods would benefit a wide swath of the Southern Cone home to 126 million people and 70% of South American GDP.

Meetings today in Buenos Aires between Argentine and Chilean officials will analyze technical and financial aspects of the ATOC and lay the groundwork for moving forward with the project. (Full Story in Spanish)

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