In the early hours of this morning, Cuban authorities successfully reopened the Central Railroad Line. This comes after a train derailment in Matanzas had disrupted service on Friday afternoon.
The accident occurred at 5:15 PM when Extra Train 107, with locomotive 38209 and three cars, derailed at kilometer 149.2 of the Central Line, situated between the stations of Jovellanos and Quintana as it headed towards Los Arabos.
Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, noted that the incident led to significant delays, causing various trains to remain halted at multiple locations across the country.
Passenger Assistance and Safety Measures
During the efforts to restore the line, measures were implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of passengers aboard the affected trains. "In a national train, there are approximately 1,000 passengers, and in such situations, ensuring their safety and health is a challenging task," Rodríguez Dávila stated.
Impact on Nationwide Train Services
The derailment prevented the arrival of the train from Guantánamo to Havana, leaving it stranded in Ciego de Ávila. Additionally, trains bound for Sancti Spíritus and Holguín were unable to depart from Havana, resulting in prolonged waiting periods for many passengers at La Coubre station.
Investigation and Infrastructure Challenges
Rodríguez Dávila announced that an investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the derailment. He emphasized that the country's railway infrastructure has long been affected by a lack of resources for proper maintenance.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, and all passengers were safely evacuated from the site of the derailment.