For Xiomara, the daily trip to the Provincial Court is no longer a predictable routine. What was for years a reliable journey aboard the popular “little train” is now a source of uncertainty.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- “There were times in the afternoon when the train did not reach the end of its route. This concern prompted me to seek answers.” Her experience is not isolated but, rather, a reflection of a crisis that is gradually paralyzing this service.

The situation particularly affects those who depend on the railroad to connect with areas of difficult access. Mariano regrets that on Sundays, the service no longer reaches the community of El Cornito. “Those who used it to visit their relatives on weekends no longer have it as an option,” he says.

This is yet another obstacle in the complex urban transport landscape, as Liudmila confirms. “It's difficult, with the shortages we're experiencing, being also limited by the absence of 'the little train'. It makes it more tiring to get to work.”

In response to growing public discontent, 26 consulted the provincial railway authorities. Lisandra Lázara Peña Soria, director of the Ferrocarriles Las Tunas base business unit (UEB in Spanish), offered an assessment that explains the palpable deterioration.

She explained that the urban service depends on two Taíno motor cars, inaugurated in 1991 for the El Cornito and Complejo de la Salud branches. "They have been in operation for 30 years, and we do not have the parts to repair them.

“The province lacks a specialized workshop, and we do not have the state mechanism to obtain spare parts, which has forced us to turn to workers in the non-state sector or to ingenious solutions. We have opted to adapt parts from other equipment, such as cars and tractors,” explained Peña Soria.

Of the six trains in the province, only the two "Taíno" cover the urban route. One is currently under repair, and the other was operating under severe restrictions. The technical problem is so acute that motor car 4141, the only one recently operational on the urban route, displays two blue flags, a sign that it cannot be touched or moved.

"When this train had problems with its starter motor, the only solution was to cut back on its itinerary. It was decided to remove the last two stops to extend its technical life. The crisis has been exacerbated by power outages, which drain the trains' batteries, and by the lack of an operational reserve."

“The suspension of Sunday trips is because that is the day that the crew members themselves —who are also the mechanics— have to perform essential maintenance on the only vehicle available,” the director explained.

The fundamental solution, a major repair, depends on railway workshops located in Guantánamo. “They are the only ones who can repair the Taínos. The process requires a contract and a cost estimate that would cover everything from painting to comfort and technical aspects.”

For hundreds of people from Las Tunas, the wait continues. They are not only waiting for the return of the familiar sound, but also for a structural solution to a well-known and even beloved transportation service in this city.