International Railroad Discussion > Venezuela: Caracas-Valencia line inches along

Work continues on the passenger line between Caracas and Venezuela's second city Valencia. At present the section in operation ends near Charrallave. As far as I can tell the elevated sections of the line are now complete with some presumably simple sections of the roadbed to be completed west of Maracay.

As far as I can tell work has stopped on the section of the line between Valencia and Puerto Cabello.

Here are a few photos of the line hurriedly taken from a moving vehicle with an iPhone. The photos, taken in early February 2017, nevertheless give an impression of the present situation.

Top left photo: A four car test train moves slowly along the track near Guacara. The slogan on the carriage reads, in translation, "Socialism Train".

Top right photo: An elevated section of the track near Lake Valencia.

Bottom left photo: The line crosses the highway at a narrow angle near Maracay.

Bottom right photo: A construction site just west of Maracay. If you look carefully you can see a couple of hopper cars, presumable used to carry ballast. This suggests that the line is complete to this point from the Caracas direction.

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News reports show Venezuela as broke with all sorts of food shortages etc. in the failed Socialist state.  So where is the money for this coming from? 

Not positive, but I think the Chinese communists are playing with the Venezuelans on this ROW and practicing
guilt free free profit oriented economics to line thier pockets from the Venezuelan economy over time/change in leadership.