Historically Caribbean railways existed to carry cane to factories, or raw sugar and molasses to ports. Later they were used to transport other agricultural crops, minerals, and as urban populations grew, provided passenger services. However, the demise of sugar, high operating and maintenance costs, and improvements in road transport have seen railways all but disappear in most of the region.
Nevertheless, there is again interest in the newer role a modern railway system might play in the Caribbean, with both Jamaica and Cuba, in very different ways, seeing relevance in the renewal of part or all of their existing networks.
In Jamaica’s case, the approach is relatively limited. In February, in the throne speech, the Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, said that improved transportation was critical to meet the demands of the country’s growing population, particularly in urban areas. He then went on to announce that government hopes to rehabilitate the country’s railway network on a phased basis in partnership with the US railroad contractor, Herzog International.
