Transportation by the tributaries of the Amazon has already been referred to, and that by the Meta and Orinoco. To Puerto Villamizar on the Zulia, there is a railway from Cúcuta, 45 miles long. From this road much traffic of the Department, Santander del Norte, is transferred to steamers running down the river to Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.
Other Existing Railways and Plans
In connection with the plantation railways, one 60 miles long runs from Santa Marta to Fundición, from which point a continuation has been talked of to Banco on the Magdalena, at the mouth of the Cesar tributary. At present it is thought better to extend the line 30 miles toward Ariguani, a district with water for banana irrigation, timber, and good cattle land; and later to Valle de Upar to tap the rich copper and coal deposits found there.
A plan has been presented by Americans for a railway from Bahia Honda, an excellent harbor near the end of the Goajira Peninsula, to pass through good timber and cattle lands and Valle de Upar, ultimately to reach Bogotá. A branch would go from Tunja to a port opposite Berrío, and cross roads, from Cúcuta to Tamalameque and from Puerto Wílches to Bucaramanga. The work requiring six years would be financed by Americans.
The Sabana Railways are of great importance. Besides the railway to Facatativá, two others lead from Bogotá, one south about 20 miles to Sibate, one north about 40 miles to Zipaquirá and Nemocón, population 5000. From Zipaquirá, population 10,000, a road is being continued to Chiquinquirá, population 22,500, in Boyacá, whence it is planned to carry it down the Carare Valley to the Magdalena. Reaching the river below La Dorada, handlings of freight will be saved, and the time of the trip from Barranquilla greatly shortened.
The Tolima Railway it is expected to prolong to the Cauca Valley over the Quindio Pass to Palmira on the Pacific Railway by way of Zarzal at the foot of the Pass. Bogotá will then be connected by an all rail route with the Pacific at Buenaventura, a distance of 210 miles.
A contract has been made for a railway, to be completed in 1923, from Ambalema (Beltrán) to a point on the Tolima Railway, to give Tolima direct connection with the Lower Magdalena. A railway from Beltrán to Flandes opposite Girardot is said also to have been arranged for.
A much desired rail connection is from Cúcuta to the Magdalena. Although a road to the river port, Tamalameque, 265 miles above Barranquilla, would pass through a dense tropical forest with few inhabitants save wild Indians, to avoid paying tribute to Venezuela by bringing the freight of Santander del Norte out by Barranquilla might prove well worth while; and a new rich forest country might thus be opened. A cart or motor road is already under construction.
The Pacific Railway. Besides the cross country connection from the Cauca Valley to the Magdalena, it is expected to prolong the existing road from Buenaventura to Cali, farther down the Cauca Valley to the Medellín, Amagá, Cauca Railway (Amagá, a city of 10,000), the latter soon to be completed to the Cauca River; this link with the Magdalena Valley may be formed first. The Cauca Valley Road now running south towards Popayán will later be prolonged to Pasto and thence to the Ecuadorian frontier, there to join the Pan American all rail route, which may be concluded through Ecuador and Peru before the northern connection is made through Panamá to Colombia.
Among other railways planned is one from Medellín to Cartagena by way of Monteria.