Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)

Line C
General San Martín entrance
Overview
Termini	Retiro Constitución
Stations	9
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Buenos Aires Underground
Operator(s)	Metrovías
History
Opened	1934
Technical
Line length	4.3 km (2.67 mi)
Character	Underground
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map Retiro General San Martín San Martín Workshops Lavalle Diagonal Norte Service tunnel Avenida de Mayo Moreno Independencia San Juan Line E San José Workshops Constitución

Line C of the Buenos Aires Underground, that runs from Retiro to Constitución terminus, opened on 9 November 1934, and it has a length of 4.3 km. It runs under such streets as Lima Sur, Bernardo de Irigoyen, Carlos Pellegrini, Esmeralda, la Plaza San Martín and Avenida Ramos Mejia. It not only connects to every other line on the system (with the exception of Line H, which will be connected at a later date), but its termini at Retiro and Constitución also connect it to some of the most important commuter rail networks in Buenos Aires, such as the Mitre and Roca lines and also long distance passenger services. It is thus an important artery in Buenos Aires' transport system. At the same time, it is also the shortest line in both terms of length and number of stations.

It was the third line of the network to provide service to the public, after Line A and Line B. Up until 2007 with the aperture of line H, it was the only line in the system providing a North-South service.

History

The Count of Guadalhorce, who oversaw the construction of the line.

The line was constructed by the Hispanic-Argentine Company for Public Works and Finances (CHADOPyF), headed by a Spanish nobleman, the Count of Guadalhorce after the Great Depression of the 1930s had meant the Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company (which owned most of the then-vast tram network in the city) pulled out of its construction. The line was subsequently opened in 1934 and extended from the present terminus at Constitución to Diagonal Norte in the centre of the city. The stretch from Diagonal Norte to its present terminus at Retiro was then opened in 1936 and marked the last expansion of the line, which remains the only line not to be extended since then.

When Line E was opened in 1938, its original terminus was shared with that of Line C at Constitución, however the route of Line E was altered in 1966 for the lines to meet instead at Independencia, where they still do so to this day. With the current extension of Line E and Line H, they will both meet Line C at Retiro, where all three will terminate.

Rolling stock

Between 1960 and 1963, the line used Mitsubishi rolling stock, which were later intended to be replaced with trains purchased fromthe Nagoya Municipal Subway but they ultimately ended up servicing Line D in 1999. From 1999 to 2007, the line used Orenstein & Koppel - Siemens-Schuckert rolling stock which was later transferred to Line H and replaced with the Nagoya trains.

In 2015, refurbished Nagoya Municipal Subway 5000 series rolling stock began to arrive, adding 50% capacity to the line and reducing journey times, as well as renewing the fleet. Though the rolling stock is in very good condition and will be further refurbished, the purchase was criticised by the Minister of the Interior and Transport, Florencio Randazzo, who accused the Municipal Government of buying dated rolling stock in contrast to the brand new rolling stock purchased by the Ministry for Buenos Aires' commuter rail network and Line A of the underground.

Gallery

• 
  Entrance to Diagonal Norte station, c.1936
• 
  Passengers unloading at Retiro station
• 
  Passengers entering Line C from the former Line E station at Constitución
• 
  General San Martín station interior

External links

• Subterráneos de Buenos Aires (Official Page)
• Metrovías S.A. Subte Operator (Official Page)
• Subterráneos de Buenos Aires, C Line
• System map