After a temporary shutdown in 1988, former Arroyo's mayor Reinaldo Pirela obtained funds from Puerto Rico's government to refit tracks and the transfer of eight Plymouth locomotives from Central Aguirre's stock to restart successful operations in 1996. In 2005, the railroad was temporarily shutdown pending a major restoration project; although all work has been halted in recent years afterwards for unknown reasons. However, the Department of the Interior has plans to re-commission the railroad and extend the system further sometime in the near future.Plan Estatal de Conservación Histórica del Gobierno de Puerto Rico, 2006-2010 Government of Puerto Rico's State Historic Conservation Plan, 2006-2010 pp. 18-19 ("Between the achievements of our Office during the term of the 2001-2005 State Plan, the following achievements stand out: [...] Goal C: Encourage the conservation of historic properties: [...] b. We discussed legislative projects such as [...] the reuse of the Train of the South for the transport of agricultural products, among others.")Segundo Informe Parcial sobre la Resolución de la Cámara 917 Second Partial Note about HRR 2014-917, Puerto Rico House of Representatives, October 9, 2014 Cuarto Informe Parcial sobre la Resolución de la Cámara 917 Fourth Partial Note about HRR 2014-917, Puerto Rico House of Representatives, November 9, 2014 Quinto Informe Parcial sobre la Resolución de la Cámara 917 Fifth Partial Note about HRR 2014-917, Puerto Rico House of Representatives, June 20, 2015 For enforce legal protection of the Tren del Sur, the Puerto Rico Legislative Branch approved first the Law 118-1995(P. de la C. 1109); Ley 118 del 9 de agosto de 1995 - Ley de Comité interagencial para la Proteccion y el Desarrollo del Tren de Arroyo. Law 118-1995: To establish an Interagency Committee for Arroyo's Train Protection and Development. Approved on August 9, 1995 and later the Law 212-2014 that superseded the 1995 law(P. de la C. 1634); Ley 212 del 16 de diciembre de 2014 - Ley de Desarrollo y Preservación del Tren de Arroyo. Law 212-2014: To Develop and Protect Arroyo's Train. Approved on December 16, 2014 but both laws failed to keep the train running.
