First Railway in Latin America Opens

On August 23, 1837, the Havana Railway Company inaugurated its initial 27-kilometer line from Havana to Bejucal using British-built steam locomotives. This pioneering effort overcame tropical terrain challenges and introduced modern rail transport to the Spanish colony, boosting sugar exports and urban connectivity. Key figures included engineer Alfred Cruger and investors from the United States and Britain. The success spurred further Cuban rail expansion and demonstrated the viability of steam power in tropical climates, influencing later networks across the Caribbean and South America.