The Rise and Fall of Railways in Jamaica, 1845–1975
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10248906 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Veront M Satchell (University of the West Indies, corresponding author), Cezley Sampson (University of the West Indies) |
| Year | 2003 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-21 |
| Publication date | 2003-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Transport History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-5266 • E-ISSN: 1759-3999 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.7227/tjth.24.1.2 |
| OpenAlex | W2045060620 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
In 1845, the first colonial railway for both passengers and freight opened for business in Jamaica. By the 1890s, expansion had reached its peak, with 216 miles of main and branch lines. Railway services greatly contributed to Jamaican socioeconomic development by providing efficient and inexpensive transport and by opening up the interior to the cultivation of old and new plantation crops, encouraging the intensification of peasant agriculture, promoting establishment of agricultural industries, and by creating new townships. In the 1930s, the failure of the banana industry and competition from motor transport drastically reduced revenue. By the 1970s, chronic indebtedness and dependence on loans and subsidies were making railways in Jamaica a liability. The closure of 2 important lines in 1975 marked the beginning of the end of Jamaica's railways
Agricultural economics · Agriculture · Archaeology · Business · Closure (psychology · Competition (biology · Economics · Geography · Liability · Market economy · Peasant · Revenue · Subsidy · Caribbean history, culture, and politics · Finance · Urban and Rural Development Challenges
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,67 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2026 (4) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |