A reconditioned passenger train as seen in April 2011.
The Jamaican Government received a revised plan from United States-based Herzog International last December to rehabilitate nearly two-thirds of Jamaica’s rail network with an initial service targeted for this year end.

The consideration is to launch the service with the downtown Kingston to Linstead leg.

“The plan is to have the trains up and running in December. That is the view of Minister Mike Henry,” stated Vando Palmer of the communications department at the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday. “Herzog is in Jamaica now doing preliminary work to do the resuscitation.”

Both political parties support the drive to restart the rail. The revised Herzog plan was submitted to the PNP administration, according to budget documents tabled this month by Finance Minister Audley Shaw.

“Herzog has undertaken necessary due diligence, and at December 2015, the company submitted a revised business plan to rehabilitate approximately 207 kilometres of the 334.9km rail track. The work will be undertaken on a phased basis,” Fiscal Policy Paper 2016-17 stated.

Jamaica entered into an earlier memorandum of understanding with Herzog International Inc to undertake detailed due diligence to facilitate the preparation of a proposal to the Government.

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