They build the town with timber from the forest around the prison.
They also built the railway to server the settlement and transport building materials.
Photo:Colm Linehan/Flickr
The original railway was built with wooden rails over which oxen pulled wagons.
In 1909, prison officials upgraded the line to narrow gauge with steel rails and a steam locomotive.
The train became known asTren de los Presos, or Train of the Prisoners.
The railway was gradually extended further into the forest into more remote areas as wood was exhausted.
It followed the valley of the Pipo River into the higher terrain.
Constant building allowed expansion of the prison and of the town, with prisoners providing many services and goods.
Photo:www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk
The prison closed in 1947 and in 1950 a naval base was established in Ushuaia.
The long-forgotten railway was rebuilt in 500 mm gauge and re-launched as a tourist railway.
It is the southernmost functioning railway in the world.
