The cargo train that runs through San Cipriano, a small Colombian village on the Pacific Coast–one of the world's rainiest regions–doesn't pass through much anymore. Accessible only by rail, that posed a bit of a problem for the village's 600-or-so residents.
But roughly 40 years ago, an inventor from a larger city came through with a solution: Wooden carts mounted on steel wheels that can be affixed and rolled down the train tracks. For the first 30 years, they were called "brujitas"–which means "little witches" in Spanish–because of the long, broomstick-like poles used to push them the six kilometers to the nearest roads. They might as well have been called that because the engineering feat seems nothing short of magic.
Buenaventura, located about 20 minutes from the road that eventually passes by San Cipriano's train tracks, is considered Colombia's most dangerous city. It has a murder rate 24 times that of New York City and seven times that of Bogotá. Police and military regularly engage with the FARC and paramilitary troops there, as it's a port that's extremely important for the drug trade. Valle del Cauca, the department where San Cipriano is located, is considered one of the last strongholds of the FARC. San Cipriano's isolated location has helped keep it relatively free of the violence that has plagued Colombia's southwest coast.
In lieu of drugs, San Cipriano's economy mostly relies on tourists who come to visit its crystal-clear lake, hike near the village, and check out a local waterfall. Oh, and ride on a motorcycle-powered train cart.
Ten years ago, someone had the bright idea of sticking a moto on the thing: The moto's front wheel is affixed onto the wooden cart (which have benches and space for five people, unless you use a deluxe stretch-limo version, which can fit many more), its back wheel runs on the train tracks. The "motobrujita" can make the $5 trip in just 15 minutes, which has been a boon for the village.
From the side of the road in Cordoba, the carts pass through the jungle over several bridges (some of them rickety, some of them less so), past some smaller settlements and swimming holes, until ultimately reaching San Cipriano. The village is about a kilometer long and consists of two dirt roads, a couple hotels and restaurants, and a large football field, which was populated with many extremely strong-looking villagers.
They likely got those muscles because when two brujitas meet each other (or a train), they've got no choice but to lift the entire cart off the tracks and wait for the other to pass. The whole thing is a bit like a game of chicken, with whoever has more stuff on their cart usually getting to stay on the tracks (unless they're facing a train, in which case, the train wins). Overall, it's one of the most inventive ways to make use of a set of railroad tracks.