A most interesting pair of stationery cards are the best way to commemorate this landmark cross country interocean railway. As a consequence of the railway, Guatemala built up banana plantations under the United Fruit Company in the lowlands alongside the new route.

On January 19, 1908, the narrow-gauge railroad from Puerto Barrios, on the Caribbean, to Guatemala City was complete. With the existing line from the capital to San Jose on the Pacific, this gave the country a rail link between its shores. The moving spirit was Minor C Keith, Brooklyn-born businessman who previously had built Costa Rica's first railroad. Mr Keith was also vice president of the United Fruit Company, which started large banana plantation in the lowlands along the new route.

It was a triumph for Guatemala to have modern transportation between the highlands and the Caribbean. Until then, travel to the coast was over trails not greatly improved since the end of Spanish rule, and entry to the country was chiefly from the Pacific Coast. Large ships had to anchor well offshore from San Jose and other Pacific Ports transferring cargo and passengers to lighters. Now large ships could tie up at the new Puerto Barrios piers. In anticipation, President Estrada Cabrera signed a decree on March 25, 1907, allocating 669 pounds sterling to pay Waterlow & Sons to print 400 000 each of five commemorative stamps—1, 5, 12½, and 50 centavos, and 5 pesos to be issued on the new railroad's inaugural date (plates cost £70 each, printing 3 shillings a thousand, shipping and other incidentals £19).

And this is the whole story of these phantom commemoratives—no other documents have been found, no drawings or proofs, and no stamps ever appeared. It is a reasonable guess that Guatemala, beset by inflation, just didn't have the money.

But a commemorative cancellation was put into use, as shown on one of these cards.

Three official postal cards also were issued:
I. The first card could be considered postal paper, since its face is inscribed U.P.U. and the reverse says (translated): 'Postage free for the interior of the country during the National Exposition.' But it and the other bear no denominations. It is in yellow brown on (a) plain, (b) salmon, or (c) light yellow cards.
II. The second card inscribed only 'RECUERDO' (souvenir) on its reverse does not mention the U.P.U. On its face it has a map of the section of the country between Puerto Barrios and San Jose, with numbered references to five towns.
III Similar to II, but map shows entire country and there are numbered references to nine towns.
a. Map in black, light orange brown and dull green on light blue gray card.
b. Bluff and light blue on light blue gray card.
c. black, buff and silver blue on pink card.
d. Black, green and silver blue n blue card.
e Black, brown and silver blue on green card.

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