Original Line Station: Gorgona

Gorgona was a town located 45 km (28 miles) from Colón. Prior to the existence of the railroad, it was an important point where the Chagres River ceased to be navigable and the route toward Panama City switched to an overland path. During the Gold Rush, in the early years of the railroad, the line extended from Aspinwall to this town, replacing that section of the transisthmian journey along the Chagres River with railway tracks. During the construction years of both the French and the Panama Canal projects, Gorgona became one of the largest towns in the area and served as a major labor camp.

It housed Canal administration offices, workshops, residences, warehouses, and industries that supported both the construction efforts and the railroad. According to research, the town’s name derives from Gorgon, one or more of the daughters of the Greek sea gods. The name was sometimes attributed to places with turbulent waters, which was true for the section of the Chagres River next to the original Gorgona settlement. With the creation of Gatun Lake in 1913, Gorgona was submerged, and its exact location now lies across from Baila Mono Island in Gatun Lake.