Kingston to Montego Bay railway
Open-knowledge reference entry
The Kingston to Montego Bay railway was the main railway in Jamaica, which from 1845 to 1992 linked the capital Kingston with the second city Montego Bay, passing en route most of the major towns.
Construction, operation and closure
The first 14.5 miles (23.3 km) of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) track were laid from Kingston to Angels (just north of Spanish Town) in 1845 at a cost of £222,250, or £15,377 per mile against a budgeted cost £150,000.
An 11-mile (18 km) extension from Spanish Town to Old Harbour was added in 1869 at a cost of £60,000.
A further 24.5 miles (39.4 km) extension from Old Harbour to Porus was added in 1885 at a cost of around £187,000.
The final 62 miles (100 km) from Porus to Montego Bay was completed in 1895.
Much of the line closed in October 1992 when all passenger traffic on Jamaica's railways abruptly ceased. Some sections remain in use for bauxite and alumina freight while the section from Montego Bay to the Appleton Estate remained open for a while as a tourist attraction.
Gradients and curvature
From Kingston the line ran west along the coastal plain, within 50 feet (15.2 m) of sea level, for about 40 miles (64 km) before starting a gentle climb over 5.25 miles (8.45 km) from Bodles to 250 feet (76.2 m) near Lancaster Halt. From here there was a plateau for about 24.25 miles (39.03 km) to the Milk River and the start of the 20 miles (32 km) climb through Scotts Pass and Porus to 1,500 feet (457.2 m) just north of Kendal.
Between Kendal and Mile Gully the line reaches its summit at around 1,700 feet (518.2 m); in this section the ruling curvature was 300 feet (91.4 m) and the ruling gradient was 1 in 30 (3.33%).
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