Nowadays the Baix Empordà has no railway infrastructure, but in the past it had two narrow-gauge lines: one from Palamós to Flaçà, extended to Girona in 1921, and the other from Sant Feliu to Girona. The latter has recently been converted into a ‘green route’ for cycle tourism.

The ‘little train’ had several popular names (including the ‘dogcrusher’), and was very well-loved locally, but when it began to operate it caused great commotion: people were afraid of the locomotive, animals ran away from it, carters and coachmen tried to sabotage it For many years it was one of the most commonly used means of transport, leaving its trail of smoke all along its route. It was particularly important for the cork industry and for transporting goods from Girona to the ports of Sant Feliu and Palamós.

This text by Pla reflects the fondness of the Baix Empordà people for their ‘little train,’ which still lives on in the memory of the oldest of them:

“What can we say that hasn’t already been said about our unforgettable train from Flaçà to Palamós? We’ve killed half of humanity with laughter. From the most refined intellectual to the most reckless salesman, everyone who has boarded it has expressed their opinion with delightful spontaneity. The tiny dimensions of the engines and coaches have been compared to those of microbial beings. There have been people who have arrived in Flaçà and on seeing the row of train-shaped matchboxes standing in front of them have refused to get on, thinking that there would be no room in the wagons, the doors would be too narrow and the engine wouldn’t be able to pull them ”

                                                                                    Josep Pla
                                                                                    My Country