Bogotá — The locomotives and old, rusty train cars that stand out in the overgrown vegetation of the yards at the Central Train Station in Bogotá are the ruins of an unfinished dream in Colombia: rail transportation. The history of the South American nation’s railways dates back to the second half of the 19th century when the isthmus of Panama was still part of its national territory. At that time, it was the first attempt to connect the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific. A portion of the $25 million that the United States compensated Colombia for the loss of the Panama Canal was used to build railway infrastructure, explained Colombia’s current Minister of Transportation, William Camargo, in an interview for this report. In total, $15 million was invested at that time to build rail tracks, locomotives, and stations. So, during that time, each department installed its own rails in order to transport goods across the country, crossing rivers and seas. This effort allowed the country to have around 3,600 kilometers (2,236 miles) of railway lines. The train, the forgotten mode of transportation in Colombia.
At one time, train transportation resolved the communication problem between regions, brought development, connected the country’s capital with ports in the Caribbean, and boosted cities like Medellín and Cali. The railroad even promoted coffee exports and bolstered the national economy. In 1954, Ferrocarriles Nacionales, a state-owned company, was created, integrating thousands of kilometers of tracks in the central, western, and northern parts of the country. But by 1987, it was only operating at 20% capacity. The company was liquidated, along with its 7,011 employees, 2,622 kilometers of tracks, and 133 locomotives. What happened to the dream?
At present, little remains of the splendor of the railways. Specialists argue that the price Colombia is paying for abandoning rail transport represents an industrial delay of almost 50 years. The Minister of Transportation explains that both political visions and real impediments hindered the sector’s progress at that time. «Unfortunately, decisions in the past that prioritized road transportation and the limitation of our geography to cross mountains between the central zone and the Pacific coast limited the growth,» explained Minister of Transportation William Camargo. The official assured that promoting and boosting the railway sector is part of the agenda of the current government led by Gustavo Petro. Train cars among the vegetation are a reminder of an unfinished dream for Colombians.
But all hope is not lost. The incomplete development of the railway system left a good school of local engineering. All repairs were carried out by Colombian professionals in the country’s workshops. And, to not let the dream die completely, 33 years ago, Turistren, a passenger railway transportation company, rescued 6 locomotives and 33 cars from the forgotten yards. «We use equipment that belongs to the old national railways, which we keep up to date in perfect condition, but these are equipment that are 50 to 60 years old,» said Andrés Rodríguez, Manager of Turistren. «We have steam locomotives from the early 20th century that are not for daily use. That’s why a large part of our business is tourism,» Rodríguez said, surrounded by trains at the Central Station, very close to where a group of mechanics and workers keep the old infrastructure alive. The photo shows Andrés Rodríguez, Manager of Turistren, Bogotá, Colombia. Turistren is a company that has been dedicated to rescuing part of the decaying railway infrastructure for over 30 years.
Station in Usaquen, north of Bogotá, Colombia.
Tourists and some locals travel in the cars recovered by the Turistren company.
Turistren took advantage of part of the forgotten railway infrastructure for decades in Bogotá, Colombia.
Colombians are not satisfied with just a tourist train. For Mateo Moreno, who recently traveled with Turistren, it was «nostalgic» to take this route between Bogotá and Zipaquirá. «We came from France, and what Colombia lacks is precisely road infrastructure, in every sense of the word, and the train is an incredible option when they explained to us that at one time there were over 3,000 kilometers of tracks,» Moreno said. «It’s a shame that it has been lost today, but in a way, it’s nostalgic to take that train.» Celia Ailo, a French tourist, said about her experience: «This train in particular has a lot of character, it’s very authentic.» The train, the forgotten mode of transportation in Colombia.
Gustavo Petro’s government plans. On June 14th, Colombia’s Ministry of Transportation reported that «with the purpose of advancing in the reactivation of the rail mode…the railway bill was unanimously approved in the first debate.» «The railway bill is an initiative that seeks to regulate activities associated with the provision of public railway transportation services for cargo and passengers on the national rail network, establish conditions for the development of infrastructure, institutional organization, economic regime, and management and financing mechanisms for this mode of transportation,» the official announcement stated. The initiative led by the Ministry of Transportation aims to «strengthen the complementarity of transportation modes in Colombia, reduce operating costs, improve the connectivity of production and consumption centers, stimulate regional economies, and shift a percentage of cargo from road to rail.» The new law stipulates the competent authorities to regulate transportation, guidelines on infrastructure and the provision of cargo, passenger, and mixed services, as well as tariff policy. It also foresees technological advancement and energy transition of equipment, systems, and rolling stock, as well as the modernization of rail freight infrastructure by 2050. The Transport Ministry expects the measure to help «address important challenges such as poverty reduction, climate change, and competitiveness.» Connect with Voice of America! Subscribe to our YouTube channel and activate notifications, or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Fuente de TenemosNoticias.com: www.vozdeamerica.com
Publicado el: 2023-07-10 05:35:28
En la sección: América Latina – Voice of America