Paso Mayor Train Station facts for kids
Paso Mayor Train Station is a historic railway station located in the Coronel Rosales area of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Like many stations, it got its name from the nearby village. Today, it is mostly abandoned, but it has a rich past.
History of Paso Mayor Station
The construction of the station was finished on December 19. A French company called "Compagnie de Chemins de Fer Rosario-Puerto Belgrano" built it.
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Paso Mayor is about 40 kilometers from Bahía Blanca. Its name, "Paso Mayor," means "Major Pass." This name came from a place where local people used to cross the Sauce Grande River. They crossed there when there was no bridge.
This station was known as a "Prime station." This meant it offered many more services than other stations. For example, Paso Mayor provided services for passengers, telegraph messages, cargo, and even livestock.
Originally, there was a special place in this area. It was a store and bar, called a "pulpería," owned by a man named Laporte. So, people called it "Pulpería de Laporte." This place also offered services for horses. Travelers could swap their tired horses for fresh ones. Because of this, it was sometimes called a "Posta" of Paso Mayor. A "Posta" was a rest stop where travelers could change horses. This spot was a popular place for travelers and traders. They came to buy things like animal hides and liquor.
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When the railway line arrived, the "Posta" changed a lot. Wagons and carriages on trains started to replace horses. The old "pulpería" became a small supermarket.
The railway line brought many people to settle around the train station. This made the area grow into a busy small town. However, in the 1970s, the railway services stopped. After that, people started to leave the area. Because of this, Paso Mayor became what is known as a ghost town.
The station never had electricity installed. Lighting was provided by wax candles or kerosene lamps. The buildings at the station are now in poor condition. They have been damaged many times.
Why the Station Closed
This railway line passed through areas with few people. The land also did not produce much. When the First World War started in Europe, this French railway company began to lose money. This problem continued until its last days.
In 1977, a part of the line was ordered to close. This included the section from Bajo Hondo stations to Pringles, which meant Paso Mayor station closed. In the 1980s, the line only worked up to Timote station. This was because a big flood destroyed many kilometers of the tracks.
Finally, in the 1990s, the entire railway branch was given to a company called Ferroexpreso Pampeano S.A. This company still manages that part of the railway line today.
