Three locomotives of the FCAB (Ferrocarrill de Antofagasta a Bolivia) are pulling an impressive, about 2300 ton train (lead/zinc/silver concentrates in containers) from the San Cristóbal mine in Bolivia towards the harbour of Mejillones north of Antofagasta, on the 1 meter gauge line crossing the Salar de Carcote on a dam. Salar de Carcote, also known as Salar de San Martín, is a salt flat which covers an area of around 108 km2 and its surface elevation is 3690 meter a.s.l. In the background above the train, you can see the black Cerro Porunita, 3868 meter high. It is a cinder cone which rises 90 metres (300 ft) above the surrounding plain and has a diameter of 800 metres (2,600 ft). The cone was constructed by andesite pyroclastic material and features a summit crater. The cone was formed 3.5 million years ago and has been degraded by erosion since then. Pulling the train are locomotives Clyde Engineering GL26C-2 # 2005 (former Queensland Rail # 2107 built 1971), GL26C-2 # 2010 (former QR # 2118 built in 1972) and EMD GT22CU-3 (rebuilt GR12) # 2402 (former FNC Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Colombia # 410, former STF Sociedad de Transportes Ferroviarios # 1210, built in 1963).
