Photo History #4: TRANSPORTATION
Gregory Park Railway Station
The railway was the first mass transportation in Portmore. The picture below shows the Gregory Park train stop in the 1980s. Railways came into prominence in Jamaica in the 1840s. The first good maps of Portmore stated to be produced because of its construction. In the 1900s, the maps indicate that there were mule rails from the estates to Port Henderson, so that banana could be moved from the Gregory Park/Salt Pond District estates to the ships. Later on, commuter (car and bus) traffic made railways unprofitable.
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Early Traffic Problems in Portmore
The influx of a large number of people into the Portmore area caused major traffic problems.
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Getting into Kingston
By the 1980s, citizens had to be out to try and catch buses into Kingston from Portmore by 5:30 PM.
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Ferry from Causeway
A ferry is often suggested as a solution to transportation problems in Portmore. This ferry (seen below) came to Portmore for a short time in the 1990s due to the Causeway bridge being repaired. In the 1600s, boats were a major means of transportation between Passage Fort and Port Royal and was useful for carrying goods, people and fresh water.
