The U line, or Linea Urquiza

[Redpossum]

You know how the YouTube algorithm mostly feeds you garbage, but every now and then throws up something really interesting?

This morning it showed me a video about the U line, or Linea Urquiza

This seems to be an odd little offshoot of the subte system. Officially it's part of the FCGU rail system, which operates on standard gauge (1435mm) rails, but there is no physical connection. Or rather there is no longer any physical connection between the U line and the rest of the FCGU. The reason why is a whole 'nother rabbit hole and we won't get sidetracked with that right now. (This is an important skill to have when learning/researching about Argentina. If you let yourself get sidetracked you wind up two hours later reading about the Conquest of the Desert campaign, or Rosas' 137 mistresses, or something even more obscure.)

Aaaaanyhow, the U line is operated by the previous operator of the Subte, Metrovia, rather than the current Subte operator, Emova. It connects to the mid-north part of the B line at the Federico Lacroze station, wanders westwards through the barrios of Morón and Hurlingham, and thence out into the wild, untamed, here-there-be-dragons territory on the other side of General Paz, where no respectable porteño would willingly go.

So, my question is, have any of you ridden on this U line, or do you have any stories to share?

 

[elhombresinnombre]

We live somewhere between the Linea San Martin and the Linea Urquiza and sometimes it's more convenient to take "El Trencito" into that part of the city. The route is very photogenic: from Federico Lacroze it almost immediately dives into the countryside surrounding Agronomía, passes through Coronel Lynch - which has a railway museum and restoration project (check for open days) and then into the further wilderness of the Provincia. Federico Lacroze is very handy for Cementario Chacarita (though I don't recommend you try and manhandle a coffin through the trencito's sliding doors) and get off one stop before at Artigas if you want to visit the British or German cemeteries.

 

[Redpossum]

We live somewhere between the Linea San Martin and the Linea Urquiza and sometimes it's more convenient to take "El Trencito" into that part of the city. The route is very photogenic: from Federico Lacroze it almost immediately dives into the countryside surrounding Agronomía, passes through Coronel Lynch - which has a railway museum and restoration project (check for open days) and then into the further wilderness of the Provincia. Federico Lacroze is very handy for Cementario Chacarita (though I don't recommend you try and manhandle a coffin through the trencito's sliding doors) and get off one stop before at Artigas if you want to visit the British or German cemeteries.

El Trencito, yes, I saw that listed as a nickname, along with the little yellow duck? Okayyyyy!

Anyhow, thanks for sharing. Buenos Aires certainly has its quirks. There's one gentleman on YouTube expounding passionately about a "hidden tunnel" under Palermo, even.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

I don't know about Palermo but there are tunnels beneath San Telmo. The museum on Defensa - Zanjón de Granados houses the entrance and tells about their history.

 

[ben]

you wind up two hours later reading about the Conquest of the Desert campaign, or Rosas' 137 mistresses, or something even more obscure.)

I was honestly hoping this part would have links embedded.