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1996 -
Abandonment |
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1996 - Abandonment (cont.) |
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1997 - Accelerated Deterioration |
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(click on photo to enlarge)
In 1996, the railway
was abandoned, and in fact, the only service in Guatemala was this private
sector light rail service, which actually helped preserve the
infrastructure as there was a problem with rails being stolen from the
mainline.
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(click on photo to enlarge)
This is how the
mainline looked when the railway was abandoned. Squatters had to be
relocated from the right-of-way.
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(click on photo to enlarge)
In the three years
that the railway stood abandoned, there was no maintenance done. As
a result, when it rained, many of the bridges were washed away.
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1998 - Rehabilitation Begins |
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1998 - Rehabilitation (cont.) |
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1998 - Hurricane Mitch |
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(click on photo to enlarge)
In 1998, rehabilitation was underway on the
railway. This is not a TGV. This is a low technology labor-intensive
solution based on the railway's ability to survive. We are very proud to
say that we provided hundreds of manual labor jobs putting this railway
back into operation. Please note that there are no concrete ties nor
electrification.
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(click on photo to enlarge)
This bridge was rebuilt using 50 manual laborers
and the highest technology was a cement mixer. The cost of the entire
project - 200 miles of a national railway system, track, rolling stock,
etc. - under US$10 million. Why? Well, a railway with no revenue cannot
justify an investment much higher than that.
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(click on photo to enlarge)
In the middle of rehabilitation Hurricane Mitch
struck in 1998. This is one of the mainline bridges after Hurricane
Mitch.
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1999 - More Storms |
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1999 - Creative Engineering |
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1999 - Commercial Operation Restored |
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(click on photo to enlarge)
Nonetheless, in 1999, despite more storms that
severed our mainline again...
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(click on photo to enlarge)
...after some creative engineering that included
dragging the bridge (pictured above on its side) back into position
using a bulldozer and a front-end loader (Truly a low technology
approach!)...
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(click on photo to enlarge)
...the railway was opened for commercial traffic.
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2000 - Moving Traffic |
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"This railway project in Guatemala is a project
that I take great personal satisfaction from being associated with because
it is a combination of both economics and values.
"I would like to say that there is a message here...for these types
of deals, it has to be more than a business -- it has to be a cause -- a
cause that must be committed to with sufficient resources to see it
through. In the case of Guatemala we did not renegotiate the concession.
We rebuilt this railroad as we promised the government. It was late
because Hurricane Mitch was not in the business plan. But we did it, not
only because it is a good business, but also because we are committed to
the business." |
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(click on photo to enlarge)
Now in the year 2000 we are moving containers,
steel and other products.
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-- Henry Posner III
Chairman
Ferrovias Guatemala |
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[X]
CLOSE
WINDOW
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