Mexican Railway

Last updated
Mexican Railway
Mexican Railway.jpg
1912 map
Overview
Native nameFerrocarril México–Veracruz
Status
Locale Mexico
Termini
Service
Services3
Operator(s)Ferrocarril Mexicano
History
OpenedJanuary 1, 1873
MergedMarch 1959
Technical
Line length679.8 km (422.4 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification Partially, 103 km (64 mi), between Esperanza and Paso del Macho

The Mexican Railway (Ferrocarril Mexicano) ( reporting mark FCM) was one of the primary pre-nationalization railways of Mexico. Incorporated in London in September 1864 as the Imperial Mexican Railway (Ferrocarril Imperial Mexicano) to complete an earlier project, it was renamed in July 1867 [1] after the Second French Empire withdrew from Mexico.

Contents

History

1877 map of the Mexican Railway HistoricalRailMapMexico.jpg
1877 map of the Mexican Railway

The main line from Mexico City to Veracruz was dedicated on January 1, 1873, by President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada; branches connected Ometusco to Pachuca and Apizaco to Puebla. [2] [3] The 103 kilometers (64 mi) between Esperanza and Paso del Macho were electrically operated beginning in the 1920s. [4] [5]

The Mexican Railway remained independent of the government-owned Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (National Railways of Mexico) until the government gained control in June 1946 and merged the property in March 1959. [6] Following privatization in the 1990s, Ferrosur acquired the lines of the former Mexican Railway.

Passenger transport

Although the Mexico City-Veracruz line, formerly the Mexican Railway, is currently a freight rail line, it has historically been used for passenger service as well.

The Jarocho

El Jarocho
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División Mexicano
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Xalostoc
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Santa Clara
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Cerro Gordo
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San Cristóbal
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Tepexpan
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Xometla
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Teotihuacán
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Teoloyucan
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Metepec
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Oxtotipac
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Otumba  [ es ]
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Aguatepec
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La Palma
Campero
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Ometusco
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Jaltepec
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Irolo
Santa Clara
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Acopinalco
Mal País
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Apan  [ es ]
San Lorenzo
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Tetlapayac
Veloz
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Soltepec
Iturbe
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Cerrito
La Luz
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Calderón Sur
Bernales
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Calderón Norte
Sanz
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Guadalupe
La Trasquilla
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Muñoz
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Mena
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Apizaco
Pavón
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Tochac
Velasco
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Acocotla
Baquedano
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Huamantla
Tecoac
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Tamariz
Tecampana
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San Marcos
Cerón
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Moctezuma
Mazarranza
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Rinconada
Vega
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Aljibes
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Oriental
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San Andrés
Varela
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San Pedro
Titipanapa
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Los Reyes
Tepeyahualco
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Pizarro
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Boca del Monte
Artesiano
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Galera
Puebla/Veracruz
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Totalco
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Alta Luz
Cerro Colarado
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Bota
Perote
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Rubín
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Balastrera
Cruz Blanca
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Encinar
Las Vigas
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Santa Rosa
David S. Alonso
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Negro
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Cruz Verde
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Molino
Ocote
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Sumidero
San Miguel
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Metlac
Debesa
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Banderilla
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Pañuelo
Los Berros
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Paraje Nuevo
Pacho
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Esmeralda
Roma
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Potrero
Alborada
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El Chico
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San Alejo
Chavarrillo
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Las Palomas
Oscuro
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Mata del Gallo
Palmar
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Souter
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Silvestre Cortés
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Mata de Agua
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Soledad
Tigrillos
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Purga
El Carrizal
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Mata Loma
Los Idolos
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Santa Rita
Tamarindo
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Tejería
Chichicaxtle
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El Laurel
Guayabal
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Paso de Varas
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Cardel
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Salmoral
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Antigua
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Pureza
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Hatillo
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Vargas
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Santa Fe
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Tamsa
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Many passenger trains of the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México were named after the city they connected Mexico City's Buenavista station with. Therefore, the Jarocho (a Spanish word meaning a person from Veracruz) was the name given to the train that went from Mexico City to the Port of Veracruz via the former Mexican Railway. The Jarocho operated as part of the N de M until 18 August 1999. [7]

Proposed revival

In 2017, the National Tourism Business Council announced that the route will join a group of tourist train routes known as the Ruta de Cortés ( Cortés Route). There are plans to use $100 million to improve and maintain the pre-existing railroad infrastructure for the Ruta de Cortés. [8] [9] [10] .

On November 20, 2023, the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced a decree to reactivate seven passenger train routes, including a route from Mexico City to Veracruz and Coatzacoalcos. [11]

On January 25, 2024, it was announced that the company Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, together with Grupo México and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, would carry out the analysis of the development of four passenger train routes in Mexico, including the Mexico City-Veracruz line. [12] [13] The other three lines being considered are the Mexico City-Guanajuato Bajío Train  [ es ] (Spanish : Tren del Bajío ), a train connecting Mexico City's Felipe Ángeles International Airport with Toluca, and the Mexico City-Querétaro line. [12]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buenavista railway station (old)</span> Former railway station in Mexico City, Mexico

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Line FA (Tren Interoceánico)</span> Railroad in Mexico

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tren Interoceánico (network)</span> Government-owned railway system in Mexico

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References

  1. Pan-American Magazine and New World Review, 1923, p. 28
  2. Fred Wilbur Powell, The Railroads of Mexico, Stratford Company (Boston), 1921, pp. 102-103
  3. Manual of Statistics Company (New York), The Manual of Statistics: Stock Exchange Hand-Book, 1908, pp. 195-196
  4. Railway Electrical Engineer Vol 13 Number 11, pp 390-391
  5. Official Guide of the Railways, June 1954, pg 1191
  6. Tothill Press, Directory of Railway Officials & Year Book, 1961-1962, p. 272
  7. "El tiempo parece detenido en la vieja estación ferrocarrilera". www.jornada.com.mx (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. "El regreso del tren de pasajeros de CDMX a Veracruz". CityExpress (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. "Avanza el proyecto de tren turístico Veracruz-Ciudad de México". Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  10. "Ruta de Cortés, otra línea de tren que conectaría a Puebla con la CDMX y Veracruz". El Universal Puebla (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  11. "AMLO publica decreto para crear más trenes de pasajeros: Estas son las 7 rutas propuestas". El Financiero (in Spanish). 20 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  12. 1 2 Valadez, Roberto (25 January 2024). "CAF analiza con Grupo México y CPCK desarrollar trenes de pasajeros". Milenio . Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  13. "Analiza CAF México participar en trenes de pasajeros". El Diario de Chihuahua (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.