There are many branches from the main line, some of these privately owned; most of them to coast ports, a few towards the Cordillera. Valdivia is the most southern ocean port to which a branch extends. Farther north, the third city of Chile, Concepción, is favored, and Talcahuano near by. From Concepción a coast road leads south to Lota, Coronel, and beyond. From Talca a line goes to Constitución, of some importance for agriculture, shipyards, and gold mining. Another branch goes to the port Pichilemu; from Santiago one extends 72 miles to the port San Antonio, nearer the capital than is Valparaiso but a secondary port to be improved by the building of docks. The Central Railway obviously forms a very important part of the real longitudinal railway, but the section which has the name Longitudinal begins farther north. The =South Longitudinal=. From Calera on the Valparaiso-Santiago Railway a branch leads 45 miles to Cabildo, where begins the Longitudinal proper. This because of construction difficulties is of narrow gauge, one metre. On account of poor equipment and service, and the competition of steamship lines along the coast, its traffic is at present small; but with better facilities and increase of population it will be of much value. At last accounts there was weekly service to Antofagasta with two changes of cars, not counting the one from Valparaiso or Santiago in order to reach Cabildo. Here, three hours from Santiago, the South Longitudinal is taken to the city of Copiapó; for the Longitudinal has two sections. The ride is through a fairly pleasant country with varied scenery, the region being partly agricultural and partly mineral. In this section are heavy grades, rising to 6 per cent, requiring 28 miles of the rack system. Branches or other connecting lines here and there reach the sea. The road passes through the important port Coquimbo, and the adjoining Serena, at which point, 200 miles from Valparaiso, the desert land begins; though in river valleys there is still some verdure. From Vallenar on the main line a branch runs 31 miles to the port Huasco. A private line from the port Carrizal, 92 miles north of Huasco and 73 south of Caldera, crosses the Longitudinal. At Copiapó we come to the old line from Caldera, a fairly good port, shipping copper and doing considerable other business, though not a port of the first class. A branch in the other direction extends to San Antonio.