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.

Mexican Railway
1912 map
Overview
Native nameFerrocarril México–Veracruz
Status
LocaleMexico
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 gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationPartially, 103 km (64 mi), between Esperanza and Paso del Macho

History

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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

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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

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El Jarocho
 
 
 
 
División Mexicano
 
 
Xalostoc
 
Santa Clara
 
Cerro Gordo
 
San Cristóbal
 
Tepexpan
 
Xometla
 
Teotihuacán
 
Teoloyucan
 
Metepec
 
Oxtotipac
 
 
Aguatepec
 
 
La Palma
Campero
 
 
Ometusco
 
 
Jaltepec
 
 
Irolo
Santa Clara
 
 
Acopinalco
Mal País
 
 
Apan [es]
San Lorenzo
 
 
Tetlapayac
Veloz
 
 
Soltepec
Iturbe
 
 
Cerrito
La Luz
 
 
Calderón Sur
Bernales
 
 
Calderón Norte
Sanz
 
 
Guadalupe
La Trasquilla
 
 
Muñoz
 
 
Mena
 
 
Apizaco
Pavón
 
 
Tochac
Velasco
 
 
Acocotla
Baquedano
 
 
Huamantla
Tecoac
 
 
Tamariz
Tecampana
 
 
San Marcos
Cerón
 
 
Moctezuma
Mazarranza
 
 
Rinconada
Vega
 
 
Aljibes
 
 
Oriental
 
 
San Andrés
Varela
 
 
San Pedro
Titipanapa
 
 
Los Reyes
Tepeyahualco
 
 
 
Pizarro
 
 
Boca del Monte
Artesiano
 
 
Galera
Puebla/Veracruz
 
 
Totalco
 
 
Alta Luz
Cerro Colarado
 
 
Bota
Perote
 
 
Rubín
 
 
Balastrera
Cruz Blanca
 
 
Encinar
Las Vigas
 
 
Santa Rosa
David S. Alonso
 
 
Negro
 
 
Cruz Verde
 
 
 
 
Molino
Ocote
 
 
Sumidero
San Miguel
 
 
Metlac
Debesa
 
 
Banderilla
 
 
 
 
Pañuelo
Los Berros
 
 
Paraje Nuevo
Pacho
 
 
Esmeralda
Roma
 
 
Potrero
Alborada
 
 
El Chico
 
 
San Alejo
Chavarrillo
 
 
Las Palomas
Oscuro
 
 
Mata del Gallo
Palmar
 
 
 
Souter
 
 
Silvestre Cortés
 
 
Mata de Agua
 
 
Soledad
Tigrillos
 
 
Purga
El Carrizal
 
 
Mata Loma
Los Idolos
 
 
Santa Rita
Tamarindo
 
 
Tejería
Chichicaxtle
 
 
El Laurel
Guayabal
 
 
Paso de Varas
 
 
Cardel
 
 
Salmoral
 
 
Antigua
 
 
Pureza
 
 
Hatillo
 
 
Vargas
 
 
Santa Fe
 
 
Tamsa
 
 
 
 

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

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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]

References

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  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. ^ a b 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.
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