Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
October 23, 2015 A much anticipated Friday morning event in the Ecuadorian city of Cuenca occurred when a low-floor tram (railcar) was taken out for its first test run. This vehicle was the first of several railcars to be built by Alstom, a French rolling stock manufacturer, for an electric tram line coursing through both... Continue Reading →
August 27, 1987 A formal inauguration was held for a light rail line on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. This tram service was designated as the Premetro (Line E2), and the operations for portions of it had actually begun as far back as April 28 of that year. The dignitaries attending the dedication ceremony for... Continue Reading →
July 29, 1882 São Thomé Lighthouse in the Brazilian municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes in what is now the state of Rio de Janeiro was officially inaugurated. At the time of this lighthouse’s debut, most of the territory comprising the present-day Federative Republic of Brazil was instead part of the Empire of Brazil. São Thomé... Continue Reading →
June 5, 1927 Under the command of Brazilian aviator João Ribeiro de Barros, the Savoia-Marchetti S.55 hydroplane known as Jahú first touched down on the South American mainland as part of its long-distance flight across much of the South Atlantic. This aircraft landed at the city of Natal in northeastern Brazil 38 days after departing... Continue Reading →
May 30, 2014 In the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the first part of an aerial cable car transit system serving country’s La Paz- El Alto region officially began operations. This system, known as Mi Teleférico (Spanish for “My Cable Car”), took shape in July 2012. That is when Evo Morales Avma, who was president of... Continue Reading →
April 2, 1939 An airport serving Ribeirão Preto, a municipality in southeastern Brazil’s state of São Paulo, was opened. In 1956, this airport was officially named in honor of Brazilian scientist Leite Lopes (1918-2006). Lopes gained renown for his work in quantum field theory and particle physics. In the course of his long and productive... Continue Reading →
February 28, 1996 Cisneros station, which is part of the rapid transit system serving the Metropolitan Area of Medellín in the Republic of Colombia, was officially opened. This facility was one of seven stations that made their debut on the same date and constitute Line B of the Medellín Metro. Cisneros station is located in... Continue Reading →
February 7, 2010 Velas Sudamerica 2010, a multi-month tour of tall ships (large, traditionally rigged sailing vessels) traveling along the coastline of Latin America, officially began with the departure of that flotilla from Rio de Janeiro. This tour was organized by the navies of Argentina and Chile to commemorate the bicentennial of when those countries... Continue Reading →
January 12, 2010 An inaugural ceremony was held for an addition to the rapid transit system serving Chile’s capital city of Santiago. This extension of Line 5 of the Santiago Metro covered 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) between Quinta Normal metro station (opened in 2004) at Catedral Street and Matucana Avenue; and Pudahuel metro station at... Continue Reading →
January 2, 1983 Pérez Bonalde station was opened as part of the 7.1-mile (11.5-kilometer) inaugural segment of the mass rapid transit system serving the capital of Venezuela. This station, which is located in the city’s parish (administrative division) of Sucre, was one of the eight stations of Line 1 of the Caracas Metro that made... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 