As first metro line to be opened soon in Panama we would like to recall our readers that this is not the first railway public transportation system in Panama. A hundred and one years ago Panama had a tram system with tracks going through Casco Antiguo, Central Avenue, Ancon and Balboa.
Until today there are very little facts that are left to us about that tram. However, some facts remained remembered. The construction of the system in those days took almost two years. By the time it opened it was the most modern transport system in Central America.
At first, the trams were operated by private U.S. company, than later I became a subsidiary of General Electric. Since Panama was a drive on the left traffic, the doors in carriages opened on the left at first. The drive on the right was changed to vehicles in Panama only in 1943.
The system of trams lasted until 1941 when the contract between the company and the government had expired and the government nullified the service and replaced it with buses. The remaining of the tracks can be found in San Felipe and Casco Viejo until these days.
