WIDE-eyed, jubilant spectators flocked streets and sidewalks along the route from May Pen in Clarendon to Linstead, St Catherine yesterday, waving and shouting as the bright yellow, green and black coaches swept past them for the official test run of the Jamaica Railway Corporation’s (JRC’s) new train service.

The excitement on the faces of several of the two hundred passengers aboard the train was echoed in the expressions on the faces of members of the thick crowd that converged at the point of departure at the May Pen Railway Bridge in Clarendon.

Cellphones, still and video cameras flashed, clicked and rolled as average citizens jostled each other for the best vantage point to record the moment for posterity. Others, whom the Sunday Observer could not ascertain were invited guests or not, seemed overcome with exuberance and flung themselves aboard the six coaches creating mass confusion.

“You cyaan have a country and don’t have rail service, a madness that,” an elderly gentleman who gave his name as Peter said.

“Mi haffi start tek it cause mi love train bad. It was a major disappointment when the train stop run.”

He made his way into the train then admitted his original destination was actually May Pen but he couldn’t resist the ‘free’ train ride.

“Train service must be in every major town,” Peter continued. “Is better business that for people travelling. When they going ’bout their business instead of taking this whole heap of different vehicle they can just take one. It too hackling, especially if people travelling with load. Now it will be much easier,” he declared.

As he said this, the train slowly pulled away from its ‘launch-pad’. First stop — Bog Walk, then Linstead for a Commemoration ceremony at the Bread of Life Ministry’s church hall. But, along the journey aboard this ‘party train’, passengers sipped wine and other beverages, stared out the windows at the scenery flashing by and reminisced about times past when the train service was in its heyday.

Entertainer, Jimy Graham, consumed by nostalgia, pulled out his guitar and began entertaining passengers in one of the crowded coaches.

“This is very nostalgic for me, Graham said. “I have been living in China for 40 years and being back and riding the train, I am just remembering all the sounds and sceneries like when I was a child. I am really excited about it!” he said.

This excitement was seemingly shared by the young and the old alike.

Sixteen-year-old Akeina Edwards and four of her friends said they had dashed from their classroom at the Bog Walk High School in St Catherine, upon hearing the tooting of the train horn.

“I am very excited to see it, and the colour is very nice.” Edwards said with a wide smile. “I have never ridden a train and even though I go school in Bog Walk, if anything happening in Spanish Town that I have to go, I will take it.”

Two of her friends, however, said they were too afraid to try this ‘new’ means of transportation.

Education Minister Andrew Holness and Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Olivia Grange joined Transport Minister Mike Henry for the inaugural journey. Henry, whose persistence may have been largely responsible for the resurgence of the Jamaican train service, was obviously in a great mood — smiling, laughing and even throwing in a dance move here and there. He reiterated that the Government wanted to give commuters options for travel and contribute to the financial well-being of the country.

“I am trying to develop an integrated plan of travel for everyone,” Henry said. “This will contribute greatly to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the country,” Henry said.

“You can be more productive. It means that you can plan your day more properly as it relates to time and relates to where you want to go. So you plan ahead. In that context, along this route, along any route, there will be an economic development that will flow,” he said.

“There will be more jobs on the train. There will be economic development that will flow and people will know that they can benefit from it.”

Henry explained that that one train will be divided into various categories or classes to suit different pockets.

“We will be running a mixture of classes as we develop and roll out. We don’t leave public transport to those who can’t afford it. I am looking forward to driving here (to the railway station), getting the train and going to parliament, and that I can read my paper and have a cup of coffee (on board) — and I hope they charge me $5000 for that per day — so somebody who have $80 can ride on the back of the same train.”

According to a representative from the Jamaica Railway Corporation the service is set to begin in earnest within a month, with the rail service running from Linstead to Spanish Town and another route from May Pen to Spanish Town.

Henry said a bridge will be built over a section of the Sandy Gully in Kingston after which the train service will extend its routes into the capital.

Morris Buchanan, JLP councillor for the York Town division in Clarendon said the moment was an historic one as he never dreamed the rail service would be up and running again, and he too was impressed with the joy exhibited by both passengers and onlookers.

“People are so excited. I never believe it would come back,” Buchanan said.

“I remember taking the train twice when I was younger, from Kingston to MoBay, and from May Pen to MoBay. Just looking at the countryside brings back those memories,” he added.

“I have ever seen so many people come out and get so excited about something. The look on some of the faces is like they wondering ‘Is this real?”‘ he said with a smile.

Twenty-seven-year-old Candida Wollery, who held a young baby in her arms as she stood with a small crowd that gathered in Bog Walk, said she had never taken a train before and looked forward to doing so, irrespective of the cost of the fare, which the Sunday Observer was unable to ascertain. Officials said they were yet to determine the rates, but Wollery was undaunted.

“I would take it despite the fare. I don’t really care how much it cost,” she said excitedly.

Camille Martin expressed similar views. “I don’t really mind the fare as long as it ( the train) comfortable and all right. Comfort is what we looking for.”

However, one man expressed concern for taxi operators whose livelihood he felt might be threatened. He was also concerned about the potential for passengers to be robbed while travelling on the trains, especially when it went through darkened tunnels along the way.

But the Transport Minister, when asked about this, said taxi drivers can make more money dropping off people at the stations and going back and picking up more.

“Basically, I hope that everyone will benefit,” Henry said. “I am struggling to make sure that we get the thing going.”