The train, with problems, arrived in Uruguay

SALTO, Uruguay .- The improvisation in the implementation of the train was partly offset by the joy of seeing people woke up in railway stations to stop and uninhabited, whose image, for years, it was just a memory.

Twenty minutes later than planned, the first train service Free Peoples was launched in the renovated station Pilar, in front of TV cameras and a group of locals.

Maria Aragon

The expectation was great: the last convoy to cross the border with Uruguay had done in the mid 80's, with a distance between Concordia and Salto which worked only three years. Now the bet was stronger walk 813 miles from the station north of Buenos Aires to Paso de los Toros, a city of 18,000 inhabitants in the department of Tacuarembó, in the heart of Uruguay.

It was a maiden voyage with comings and goings, whose arrival at Paso de los Toros felt frustrated during most of the day by bureaucratic problems in Uruguay. As reported in Buenos Aires Trains (TBA), a company that took over the provision of services, lack of a decree signed by the president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, to provide international passenger service in that country.

A process whose delay was not anticipated and not cause major inconvenience to passengers, simply because of the five who traveled, two-Patricia and Sabrina Reed-Villaguay be dropped, Entre Rios, where they were to visit relatives.

The other three were willing to go where the train carried Fabian Vergara, a Colombian who for nearly a year traveling around South America and only needed to visit Uruguay, Julio Opazo, a Chilean rail fan who lives in Argentina, and Luis Camera , who that morning had joined the trip (see separate).

The route would then end in Salto, just after crossing the border by the Salto Grande dam. But just after 19, after Concordia, it was learned that the administrative problem had been solved. The train continued to Paso de los Toros. Applause from the passengers and relief for those who had made a commitment.

The reopening of this route had been announced with drums, cymbals and including rail travel from Concord to jump on 29 August by President Cristina Kirchner and Uruguayan President.

The diesel train, brought from Holland, but made in Germany, consists of a pair, ie two cars with a capacity of 140 passengers. Only this time using two pairs.

While it was initially speculated that the service would have reclining seats, air conditioning, digital TV and bar on the trip yesterday, this time did not have these amenities. According TBA spokesman, Gustavo Gago, the company had anticipated in their website that these services will be offered only in November. That's exactly why the rate of 140 pesos which cost the trip from one end to today's promotion. "I do not think it will exceed 200 pesos," he said Gago, who was also part of this first voyage with passengers along with the nation.

Since yesterday, and during this month, the service will come on Friday. In October, expect a frequency of three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while in December the idea is to already have a service Monday to Saturday.

"This is the beginning, is something new. There are many things to improve, as the journey or the issue of customs and immigration. But we prefer to put in place quickly because the train makes it move it move the administrative" TBA spokesman said.

The route passes through the intersection at the height of the various arms of Paraná, extensive fields, citrus groves and forests to reach Concordia. Natural scenes that contrast with the entry to the outskirts of Concord, where the train guards who took pictures warned to beware of piedrazos.

The other contrast in the same city was hosting the convoy of a crowd holding signs with the image of the President and Governor Uribarri. Otherwise the rest of the journey, where every season the villagers came to express their joy at the back of the train. An image that is repeated once the train reached the city of Salto. At press time there was speculation that the convoy came to Paso de los Toros at 5 today. A first trip that lasted more than 20 hours.