Railways in Trinidad and Tobago

There are no railways in Trinidad and Tobago. There has never been railways in Tobago, but the railway in Trinidad has a long and interesting history – tram systems and Trinidad Government Railways. In 2008, a plan to build a metropolitan railway called “TriniTrain” was announced, but due to costs, the project was abandoned in 2010. In my opinion the railway in Trinidad has no chance of being reinstated in the future.

Railways in Trinidad and Tobago – trams

Back in the 1840s, a Scottish planter William Eccles built a horse-drawn railway to transport sugar cane from his plantation to the waterfront in San Fernando.

On 5 March 1859, a passenger horse-drawn tram was launched on a six-kilometer section of the line (San Fernando – Sainte Madeleine). In 1864, horses were replaced by steam locomotives. The line named Cipero Tramway, a later became part of the Trinidad Governemt Railways network.

On 29 May 1883, an American businessman launched two horse-drawn tram lines in Port of Spain. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, there were four independent tram networks in Port of Spain – the mentioned two lines of horse trams and two lines of electric trams. The first, operated by the Belmont Tramway Company, was officially opened on June 26, 1895. The second, operated by Trinidad Electric, opened in February 1902.

In 1918, Trinidad Electric launched another tram line.

In the 1940s, trolleybuses became the dominant means of transport in Port of Spain, and trams was ceased on 31 March 1950. In 1953 or 1954 one of the tram lines was resumed but shortly after was closed permanently. The trolleybuses did not survive much longer, until the end of 1956.

Railways in Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad Government Railways

Trinidad Government Railway trains operated in Trinidad from 1876 to 1968. The first railway line, connecting Port of Spain and Arima station, was opened in 1876. It was gradually extended until reached Rio Claro in 1914. The government railway network was expanded and main railway lines wered connected with short narrow gauge lines of field, sugar and industrial railways. In 1923/1924 the railway line Port-of-Spain – Curepe was double-tracked.

The decline of the railways in Trinidad began after the end of World War II. As in many other countries, railways were unable to compete with car and bus transport. The last passenger train from San Juan arrived in Port of Spain on 28 December 1968. The locomotive is still preserved as a monument in the National Museum of San Andreas. Port of Spain Central Station serves as a bus station.

Rusty locomotives and fragments of tracks of some sugar and industrial railways have been preserved.

Railway map of Trinidad in 1925 (Wikipedia)

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Railways in Americas by country

Railways in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad Government Railway – train interior in 1931 (Photo: unknown author, public domain, Wikimedia Commons)