Antonio Carrillo

Engineered Peru's first trans-Andean railway connecting Amazon basin to Pacific

Antonio Carrillo (1825-1898) was a Peruvian engineer whose visionary railway projects connected isolated Amazon regions to coastal ports for the first time. His Huallaga-Pacific Railway (completed 1876) traversed 450km of rugged Andean terrain, requiring innovative bridge designs and tunneling techniques.

As chief engineer, Carrillo developed the 'zig-zag gradient' system allowing trains to climb 3,000m elevation changes without rack-and-pinion systems. His use of locally sourced ironwood for tracks and bridges ensured durability in tropical climates. The railway reduced transport times from 3 months to 3 days, revolutionizing rubber and coffee exports.

Carrillo's 1882 report Mountain Railway Construction Principles became a standard text for Andean engineering. He established Peru's first engineering school in Arequipa (1885), training over 200 technicians. His legacy includes the Carrillo Tunnel - still in use today - which remains one of South America's longest 19th century tunnels.