Atacama Desert, Chile: Between Copiapó and Diego de Almagro

Carrera Pinto: p.1 │ p.2 │ Station │ Airfield

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Carrera Pinto is located between Copiapó and Inca de Oro. The people have been abandoned in recent decades. Until the 90s, one person and one kiosk remained.

Before Carrera Pinto was a very important mining village. Its location between the early Puquios railway (see here) and the Tres Puntas mines ensured considerable passenger and metal traffic. With the construction of the railroad Chulo - Inca de Oro in 1908 (Yunge, 1910) Carrera Pinto was very interesting for its nearby mines and some mineral concentration plants were opened.

Located in the heart of the Varas plain and in the middle of several important historical mining sectors (until the fifties) the ruins are hidden in the infinite dimensions of the plain. But the whole railway station, the plant, the village, an airstrip and on all sides pieces of glass still show the importance of the sector some 70 years ago. Today it's pure desert. Until the last place with people, Finca Santa Maria was abandoned and it is almost time to remain in ruins forever.

*) En Yunge (1910) "Estadística Minera en Chile 1908 y 1909" mention is made of the end of the construction of the route Chulo - Inca de Oro in 1908..

Informative Chart
Place: Ruins of Carrera Pinto, Atacama Region
Location: UTM: E407.938 / N70.05.443 (Datum prov. SudAm. 1956)
Distance to Copiapó: 61,5 km
Height: 1640m
Atacama Region, Chile
Commune Copiapó, Province of Copiapó
Population: 0
Ruins of the village, Railway station, Mineral treatment plant, Finca Santa María