Ferrocarriles Metropolitanos S.A. (also known for its acronym FEMESA) was a company set up by the
Argentine government in 1991, during the presidency of
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem (2 July 1930 – 14 February 2021) served as the 50th president of Argentina for ten years, from 1989 to 1999. He identified as Peronism, Peronist, serving as President of the Justicialist Party for 13 years (from 1990 to 200 ...
, to oversee the
privatisation of commuter rail services within the city of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
in
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. The company granted concessions to
Metropolitano,
Ferrovías,
Metrovías, and
Trenes de Buenos Aires for the operation of services which had previously been run by state-owned companies since the
nationalisation of the railways in 1948. With its task complete, FEMESA was wound up in 1997.
[PRIVATIZACIONES - Decreto 543/97]
/ref>
Overview
FEMESA was created in 1991 to take over commuter rail services that had been operated by state-owned Ferrocarriles Argentinos (FA). The company was established as a transitional entity until those services were granted as concessions to private operators. Meanwhile, FA operated middle and long distance passenger services until 10 March 1993 when all those services were cancelled.La privatización y desguace del sistema ferroviario argentino
by Franco Pagano on Universidad de CuyoVolver a los ’90: el gobierno dejó sin trenes a más de 100 pueblos en 2016
on Tiempo Argentino, 11 Sep 2016[
In 1994, FEMESA granted concessions to Metropolitano which, through three subsidiary companies, took over the operation of services on the Línea San Martín, Línea Roca and Belgrano Sur Line in Buenos Aires previously operated by the state-owned San Martín, Roca and Belgrano Railway divisions, respectively. In spite of Metropolitano receiving large government subsidies, its services deteriorated to a point where, by 2007, the three concessions had all been revoked and their operation was taken over by the consortium Unidad de Gestión Operativa Ferroviaria de Emergencia ( UGOFE).
Concessions were also granted in 1994 to Ferrovías and Metrovías, for the operation of services on the Belgrano Norte and Urquiza Lines, respectively, previously operated by the state-owned Belgrano, and Urquiza divisions of FA.
Finally, in 1995, concessions were granted to Trenes de Buenos Aires for the operation of services over the Mitre and Sarmiento Lines, previously operated by the state-owned Mitre and Sarmiento divisions of FA.
With all the commuter rail services in Buenos Aires privatised, FEMESA was wound up in 1997.][
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Femesa
Defunct railway companies of Argentina
Railway companies established in 1991
Railway companies disestablished in 1997
1991 establishments in Argentina