Arroyo’s Tren del Sur- Train of the South

A Puerto Rican attraction in need of resurrection..

Most printed travel guides speak of the ‘Tren del Sur’ in Arroyo as if it were only temporarily closed. It operated 4 miles of track from 1984 to 2005 when it was shut down for ‘maintenance’ and never reopened. Today, it appears to be all but abandoned… weeds and tall grass are starting to overtake it.

That’s truly a shame.

It’s typical of the kind of changes that have taken place, island wide.

Sugarcane has not been a cash crop here for decades. Yes, you can still see it in small plots, but that’s it. More of a novelty, really.

Puerto Rican Rum is made from imported sugar and molasses…

Not the best kept secret.

Firing-up the railroad in Arroyo would be basically like starting over. Though some of the equipment might be salvageable, restoration would be expensive. Then there are the safety issues they would have to deal with to meet Federal requirements. Then you have to factor in labor costs.

Trying to appease the interests of everyone involved is the real challenge…

Reviving an Old Effort-

A PR law granting a ‘viability study’ regarding a Light-Rail Train System in Arroyo
was amended in 2010 to include Patillas, Guayama, Salinas, Santa Isabel, Juana Diaz and Ponce. A railroad on this scale would cut across some of the most verdant land in Puerto Rico.

Previously, the Puerto Rico Land Authority has intervened to prevent public land access by the Arroyo RR. This issue still hangs over the project.  Everyone want’s a piece of the pie.

The Tourism Aspect-

Not that I favor something as commercial or extravagant as Six Flags or Disney World, I do think much could be done to draw more folks to the South side of the island. Ponce is working on a solution of it’s own.

The locals might not see the Sugar or Coffee periods as ‘romantic’, but it does hark back to a time in Puerto Rican history, full of opportunities for tourism.  And that equals more jobs.  Something Puerto Rico desperately needs.  Tourism is woefully underdeveloped here.  Did you know gambling is legal in Puerto Rico?  No? Not surprised.

PR has a colorful and diverse history.

The Spanish period is yet another era travelers fantasize about.

Something that could be developed further.  A simpler time, a more relaxed time. Not everyone is interested in golf or heath spas.  And as I’ve said before, Puerto Rico has that covered.

Tourism with a more ‘family oriented’ approach might be good.

A Model to Consider-

The State of Alaska operates the only state owned railroad in the Union. It serves the needs of tourists as well as providing bulk freight services. And in recent years, it has turned a profit. Much could be learned from the ARR.

The Alaska Railroad is a spectacular ride through raw Alaska.

It serves as an example of what could be done, albeit on a somewhat smaller scale.

A railroad dedicated to tourists seems like a good idea if it could be tied into other tourist attractions.

The Grounds of Tren del Sur

I was there for about an hour to check out the old station and score a few shots. As it is, it makes for interesting fine art images. A stark reminder of how quickly nature can reclaim the land.

It was also obvious that some effort had been made to keep at least some of the weeds and critters at bay. The interiors were relatively clean.

Additional ideas for shots came to mind.. I’ll be back for those.

Because of the overgrowth, I did not wander far.

Even with jeans and a T-shirt, I did not feel safe working my way through head high grass. I wear boots, but you never know what you might step on or into. Even at that, there was still plenty to see.

As I’ve said before- ‘the Railroads of PR are a Testament to an Era Gone By’ and so is this old station in Arroyo.

Content for this story was collected from Wikipedia and the Caribbean Business News. The historic shot is attributed to the Central Lafayette, sugar refinery in Arroyo, in the early 20th Century (courtesy Wikipedia).

It could be…