Railway Museum in Zacapa

The Railway Museum Zacapa was launched by the station workers who cleaned and fixed the place specially to meet him. Immediately impressed understand the work, effort and commitment of the labor required to create and maintain the railways and the station itself.

A look at history

Ubiquémonos in the late seventies, when it is said, train travel in eastern Guatemala were an adventure. First crossing the bridge parallel to the bridge of Belize, (just before the North Metro and Los Alamos). This structure of iron for the rails just made him the willies to many by the height and the narrowness of the road. Then the journey continued for an alternate route to the Atlantic Highway (CA9). They say that by this route were seen beautiful landscapes, colorful and lush forests full of birds, building simple but quaint and the image of meandering Rio Motagua.

The railway ceased to operate openly in Guatemala as a transport service and after a controversial history, passed into foreign ownership and years later begins a complicated process of reintegration by Guatemalans.

Last trip to Zacapa

Was made in 1996 and since then have been dismantled errovías LASF in different sections around Zacapa.

A stage of metal thefts punished this railway line full of history, but the station management decided to fix the place and opens the Railroad Museum Zacapa officially January 8, 2004.

In the museum you can appreciate the work tools for maintenance and overhaul of the railroad and the communications office and head office management of the railway station.

Premier commodities

Travelers could stay at a hotel affiliated to the station, which offered rooms at first and second class.

Here they stayed variety of Guatemalans and foreigners, between ordinary people and personalities such as Gabriela Mistral, Nobel Prize for Literature.

It is curious to contrast the elements of first class of the day: the bed, fan and lamp bulb located next to the cabinet was also desktop.

The complex of the train station looked to turn a space for workers who lived there with their families to avoid traveling from one place to another.

Between cars and machinery

On the site you will see the old cars, fuel tanks, small carts and platform type vehicles operated pedal to scroll through the tracks.

Story tools

Working utensils all have a story to tell: from the oilers, lamps, spare parts to the triquets.

In the museum we learned that there were other train accidents in Guatemala and more than one occasion several carriages left the tracks, for which workers had to triquets hydraulic lift several tons.

Unfortunately with the rising value of metals, these items became the target of robberies before being sold as recycled metal, this includes the wiring of transformers and lines of communication.

Via Cycling

Parallel to the rail line was located a number of lines of telegraph poles. These lines could be used at any time by personnel of the train or track maintenance.

When they had damage to the train was the fastest way to communicate and service personnel then moved by the railroad in a pedal car.

Contrary to what one might think, was very comfortable and fast, not difficult to pedal.

Telegraph

Whether by accident that knocked down the poles or breaks in the line, sometimes the communication is lost and workers were traveling with this vehicle testing the wiring of the telegraph with a laptop and rods that were connected with wires to the top of wiring to operate.

The museum awaits

It is not the same as I have to see it with your own eyes. The Railway Museum Zacapa is a very nice and interesting.

The visit is guided and accompanied by history and anecdotes from when it operated the train. For when we visited the station entrance was totally free, so take advantage. The next time you come to Zacapa, take a tour of the Train Station.