Train to Salinas (Part 1)

The only passenger rail from Ibarra today is a tourist train to the historic town of Salinas, not to be confused with the larger city on the southwest coast of Ecuador with the same name.

This is a remnant of a passenger rail line that once went all the way to the northwest coast, but was allowed to fall into disrepair in recent decades.

Click on this map to see the route.

The service is now being brought back. The highland town of Salinas was dying because of the end of rail service and for other reasons.

The government hopes that the tourist train will help Salinas begin to thrive.

This trip used "autoferros" -- converted buses that ran on the rails -- until just a few months ago when a real train with two passenger cars began to be used.

Daniel and I were the only foreign tourists taking the trip. Most of the others were a lively and friendly group of seniors from Otavalo wearing matching red jumpsuits.