the 'Flecha del Sur', Chile, 1940s

a CGI representation via Microsoft's Train Simulator

'The Arrow of the South', a diesel-electric multiple unit train set, obviously inflenced by the streamliners that had been appearing in Germany and America, made its maiden voyage in 1940 between Santiago and Temuco.

In 1938, Chile ordered from the German manufacturers of MAN Ferrostaal AG six diesel-electric railcars based on the Fliegender Hamburger, each able to carry 124 passengers in first class and having a top speed of 130 km/h. Additionally, electric multiple units were ordered which would serve in Valparaiso, freight locomotives and electrification systems on the Alameda-Cartagena route.

In 1939 the first two units, known as AM-101 and AM-102 were completed. But in September 1939 WW2 began, which hampered the delivery. Fortunately, before Allied troops blocked the German ports, a Norwegian flag freighter sailed to Chile carrying the two trains. The remaining four sets were not so lucky and were held in Germany until 1943. The war made things difficult for the Flecha del Sur in another way. Hostilities led to a shortage of oil worldwide, leading to an energy crisis and fuel rationing. The trains were canceled temporarily during the first half of 1943. Parallel to this, on 20 January that year, the Chilean Senate approved the decision of President Juan Antonio Rivers to suspend all relations with the Axis (Germany, Japan and Italy), which further complicated the situation of trains stranded in Germany. But all was not lost: the national embassy's commercial attaché in Switzerland, Tito Körner, contacted a Swiss merchant named Giovanni Züst, who made arrangements with German Finance Minister Walter Funk for the Chilean trains to be moved to Switzerland, where they were kept until the end of the war. Finally, in September 1946, two cargo ships transported the final members of the fleet.

The beginning of services in 1940 saw advertising which promoted the convenience and luxury, and the average speed, saying that in just a nine hour trip you could travel from Santiago to Temuco, fast for the time. A couple of months later the Santiago-Puerto Montt route was inaugurated with two times a week services which prompted tourism in those areas with the construction of resorts and hotels.

Each set had 3 cars and a total capacity of 124 passengers. The first car contained the cab, engine room, boiler, mailroom, toilets for staff, space for luggage, kitchen, bar, restrooms for men and ladies and a closet for suitcases. The second had two saloons for passengers of 36 seats each, with entrance at the center. The third had seats for 52 passengers, two closets for suitcases, toilets, engine room and cab. Having cabs at both ends meant the trains could reverse without having to reposition the locomotive, as with the old steam trains.

The sets had a power output of of 312 kW at 850 rpm and had backup generators that charged the battery, giving power to the fans, lighting, compressors, air conditioning and kitchen. The diesel engine was oriented vertically, and was a four-stroke type W 22/30 8V. Cooling was achieved by circulating water through a pump coupled directly to the motor.

When in 1948, the fleet was complete, the Flecha del Sur became one of the most modern high speed luxury trains on the South American continent. In its heyday it performed five weekly services between Santiago and Puerto Montt, taking, according to various sources, 10 hours 25 minutes to Temuco, and 17 hours 20 minutes to Puerto Montt.

But there were gradually increasing difficulties. The cost of diesel, the lack of spare parts, the low number of passengers it could carry, and maintenance costs resulted in the service to Puerto Montt in 1954 being replaced by locomotives to which cars could be added or removed. The Flecha del Sur began to be used mainly for short trips such as Santiago-Talca and Santiago-Cartagena. In 1960 its retirement from the national rail was decreed. It seems the trains were then all scrapped.