Railway mobility and territorial roots: memories and Social Roles of train workers in south-central Chile

Abstract

Using a qualitative approach, a study focused on the experiences of railway workers in the Maule, Biobío, and Araucanía regions was developed. The objective was to analyze how these workers become key actors in railway promotion and planning, highlighting their influence on railway operations and their perceptions of railway heritage in motion in south-central Chile. The results highlight a railway tradition linked to biographical aspects, such as a certain heritage and professional skills appropriate for working on trains; the identification of a railway social role linked to the mobility of people from predominantly rural areas; the role of the railway in relation to territories; and the existence of a railway heritage sustained by communities, their memory, and railway architecture. The conclusions are that the railway is a means of transport deeply rooted in the culture and economy of the study area, the importance of railway workers in the promotion of railway heritage, and the need to comprehensively revitalize the railway in the study regions.