The Railways of Jamaica

Through the Blue Mountains to the blue Caribbean Sea - A history of the Jamaica Government Railway

by Jim Horsford

Published price £25.00
UK Winter Sale price incl. p&p £17.40

Hardback, 168 pages, 165 colour photos, 159 b&w photos, 40 track plans, maps, gradient profiles, and diagrams.

ISBN: 978-1-900340-20-5

The Jamaica Railway Company opened in 1845 with British finance and locomotives and expanded to open up the interior of the island, transporting bananas, sugar, rum, and other produce to the ports. American steam started to appear in the years prior to WW1, however, Englishman P.C. Dewhurst was the CME during the early 20th Century. The Jamaica Government Railway owned the system from 1900 and in 1960 this became the state-owned but independent Jamaica Railway Corporation. Dieselisation with British-built locos and railcars developed from the mid-1950s, indeed the JRC even bought some ex-LMS Stanier coaches from BR in 1964. Other diesels came from Canada, and France.

The history is described fully and the routes are followed in detail with track diagrams and photos showing many key locations and the traffic operating. Steam & diesel locomotives, railcars and rolling stock all have their own chapters to give comprehensive coverage.

Contributors include Dr. Carl Stratmann and Jeremy Browne, who both lived in Jamaica, and Christopher Walker of Trackside Publications, who kindly also assisted with research, along with several other notable enthusiasts with Jamaican connections. Photos by Charles S. Small have also been made available and the author’s own more recent pictures complete the publication.