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Century-Old Disused Rail Bridge Collapses Into Salado River Between Chivilcoy and 25 de Mayo

Intense rains raised the Salado to levels that overwhelmed the long-neglected span.

Overview

  • The fallen structure belongs to Trenes Argentinos, had been out of service since 1994, and was regarded locally as a heritage piece.
  • The bridge linked the Gorostiaga and Anderson stations of the Sarmiento line in a rural area, and no injuries were reported.
  • Sources cite the river’s unusually high flow acting on an aging, unmaintained bridge as the primary cause of failure.
  • Local reports note no dredging was carried out for roughly 200 meters upstream and downstream of the span to avoid erosion near the bases.
  • The collapse comes as farm groups report about 2 million hectares under water and press for emergency works at other Salado crossings, including the Route 205 bridge that provincial officials say is a national responsibility under the Plan Maestro del Salado.