The entrance to the tunnel at the Paso Los Libertadores or Cristo Redentor Pass is at an elevation of 10,499-ft (3,200 m) on the Chilean side. The tunnel was opened in 1980, it is 10,105-ft (3,080 m) long and descends toward the Argentine side at a 6% rate. The opening of the tunnel reduced the altitude of the pass road from 12,572-ft (3,832 m) to the current 10,105-ft (3,080 m), eliminated 65 switchbacks and shortened the road by 10 km. At the center of the tunnel is the International Border, where Chile highway 60 ends and Argentine highway 7 begins. Despite this improvement the tunnel is still a choke point, since all cargo from the Pacific to the Atlantic Coast of South America uses this route, and the tunnel is usually closed for 45 to 60 days each year due to heavy snowfall. The ascent from the Chilean side to the tunnel is steeper than the Argentine side. Highway 60 climbs about 6,900-ft (2,100 m) over a distance of 63 km between Los Andes to Portillo, just short of the tunnel entrance. A narrow gauge rail, the Ferrocarril Transandino Central, which operated passenger service between Las Andes, Chile and Mendoza, Argentina was closed in the early 1980s. The entrance to the rail tunnel is shown in this picture and was taken from the adjacent highway tunnel entrance. Because of increase in trade with Pacific Rim countries volume of goods has increased tremendously and continues to increase. A future tunnel at a lower elevation is planned with an anticipated cost of US$ 3.5 Billion with a tunnel length of 52.5 km. What doesn't help the flow of goods is the strained relationship between Argentina and Chile. At the time of my visit the two countries disputed oil deposits on Tierra del Fuego, with the Pope settling the dispute, East bound, the International checkpoint is in Argentina and crossing this border made me feel as if I was crossing the German border between the East and West. Even some American tourists refrained from being too jovial and casual and just towed the line. This picture was taken on 13 December 2003, Sig..