Not sure about the trolley lines, but the Trinidad Railway was last run by Eric James who was also the football czar before Jack Warner. Here are some stories:
14 May 1933:
Future of Trinidad's Government RailwayIt is officially stated that a proposal to amalgamate the Trinidad Government Railway and the Public Works Department is at present under consideration.
As already reported, the Hon. M. A. Murphy, Director of Public Works will retire in the next three months and if the amalgamation is effected it is likely that the new Director of Public Works will be a transport specialist.
In semi-official circles it is believed that this amalgamation proposal is the outcome of certain recommendations made in the Report on the working of the Railway by Mr. A. S. Cooper, the Railway expert who recently visited Trinidad.
Mr. Cooper's report on the Trinidad Government Railway is still being held as a confidential paper, although his report on the Demerara transport system, surveyed after he left Trinidad, was issued some time ago."
26 April 1956:
Railway Abolition Urged, UK expert sees 'chaotic traffic'PORT OF SPAIN, April 26: The report of the British Transport consultant, Mr. Arthur Jessop, who spent nine weeks here, proposes the gradual closing down and eventual complete abolition of the 80-year-old Trinidad Government Railway system.
Mr. Jessop refers to the serious decline in passenger traffic, plus a stagnant goods traffic situation which cost the Railway 18 million dollars in the last 11 years.
Drastic economies failed to help, and even with modernisation and continuation of the system in a modified form it will continue to be a liability on public funds, Mr. Jessop says.
He comments favourably on Trinidad's road development.
He says Trinidad and Tobago have 1.35 miles of road per square mile, and 250 people per square mile of road, compared with Jamaica's 1.07 and 338, respectively, and Britain's 2.00 and 277.
He calls for action to deal with the "chaotic traffic situation" by regulating the licensing of taxis in accordance with need plus regulation of taxi drivers' licenses.
He adds that the unfair and wasteful taxi competition is threatening to stultify bus enterprise, and suggests operation of double-decker buses on suitable routes, also a one-man bus operation, with the driver acting as conductor.
Centralising of the existing bus services has also been recommended.
12 July 1961:
Fifteen hurt in Trinidad rail mishapPORT OF SPAIN, July 12: An after-lunch train laden with workers from Tunapuna, about eight miles away in east Trinidad derailed in Port of Spain yesterday. Fifteen persons were injured.
As the train was coming to a halt in Port of Spain, a heavy metal coupling on one of the five cars drawn by a diesel powered engine, snapped. The cars jumped the track and crushed into one another; women screamed and panicked.
Engineers of the Trinidad Government Railways immediately investigated and said that they were puzzled at the cause of the derailment. Workers of the Arima Bus Company operating along the East of Trinidad route from Port of Spain have been on strike two days now.
An inquiry is to be held into the derailment.
25 August 1961:
Trinidad rail strike set for MondayPORT OF SPAIN, Aug. 25: The acting general manager of the Trinidad Government Railway, Mr. Eric James is expected to have a strike on his hands from Monday.
An executive of the Civil Service Association has set the walkout for that day to protest the re-employment of a penionser, Mr. C. Bastien, as a temporary traffic officer at the railway.
Mr. Bastien was re-employed in May and since then the C.S.A. has been seeking termination of his appointment.
In announcing the strike date, the .C.S.A. pointed out: "the association has to take step with much reluctance and regret but the association is now convinced that all means of bringing this dispute to an amicable settlement have been used by the association without success."
26 August 1961:
Trinidad rail strike offPORT OF SPAIN, Aug. 26: The threatened strike at the Trinidad Government Railway is off, as Mr. Cecil Bastien, a pensioner, has been removed from the department.
A circular signed by the acting manager, Mr. Eric James, and sent to the Railway Department of the C.S.A. states: "I am directed by the Ministry of Finance to inform you that Mr. Cecil Bastien, temporary traffic officer attached to the railway from June 1, has ceased to fill the capacity as a result of being called to a special assignment in the Ministry of Finance.
Filling the post of temporary traffic officer will engage the attention of the Railway Board."
24 November 1961
James named Railway managerPORT OF SPAIN, Nov. 24: MR. ERIC JAMES, Secretary of the Caribbean Football Association, has been appointed General Manager of Trinidad Government Railway, a post in which he has been acting from March 29.
Class 109 Wickham 2-car sets
The first sets entered traffic in the autumn of 1957. They were surplus soon after introduction, and being a 'non-standard' design allowed BR to sell back two sets in September 1961 at the request of Wickham & Co who had overseas buyers for them, the Trinidad Government Railway. They were exported to Trinidad & Tobago, and they operated the 'Last Train to San Fernando' as immortalised in the song. By 1980 at least one car had been grounded and used as a road side cafe!
Locomotive Of The Royal Train -1880