Abstract

LOPEZ, Mario J.. Replacement of Coal as Fuel in the British Capital Railways in Argentina, 1912-1947: Compañía Ferrocarrilera de Petróleo. Am. Lat. Hist. Econ [online]. 2020, vol.27, n.2, e1042.  Epub June 10, 2020. ISSN 2007-3496.  https://doi.org/10.18232/alhe.1042.

Frequently, several historians have stated that before 1947, the British owned railway companies had interest in the import of coal, and for that reason, they opposed the national oil production. However, some historical facts are against that statement. Especially the setup of the Petroleum Railway Company in 1920 and the investments made after the WWI by the railway companies to adapt the steam engines to burn liquid fuel. The main goal of the railway always was to run the transport system reducing the operational costs, included the fuel expenses. When the imported coal became expensive and scarce, the railway companies had no doubts in replacing it with Argentine oil, and themselves invested a huge amount of capital to produce that fuel in Argentina.

Keywords : railways; coal; oil; substitution.

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