Last train’s witness recalls railway’s impact on town
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Justo Héctor González, 77, of Jaramillo, Santa Cruz province in Argentina, remembered watching the last train pass through his town in 1978.
González grew up near the railway station, where his parents ran the Hotel Argentino, and witnessed firsthand how the train connected Jaramillo to the wider region. For decades, the railway line linking Puerto Deseado and Las Heras, spanning 283 kilometers, was essential for transporting wool, livestock, and oil equipment.
González recalled seeing large herds of up to 1,500 sheep loaded onto trains bound for Puerto Deseado and the CAP meatpacking plant. The railway’s closure in 1978 coincided with a decline in the local wool industry and the rise of road transport.
Héctor Grant, the station chief, signaled the end of an era when he rang the station bell as the last train departed, telling González, “The train is gone.” Grant then transferred to another town, reflecting the widespread impact of the railway’s end on the region. Today, the province is attempting to revive the abandoned railway line as part of a plan to boost tourism and production.
A diesel-electric locomotive was recently brought to Jaramillo from Córdoba as a symbol of this effort. González, who worked at the local power plant and is now retired, hopes the railway can once again bring life to Jaramillo, despite acknowledging the extensive work needed after 50 years of neglect.
