Mexico Passenger Rail Happening?

[Anderson]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/08/us-mexico-trains-idUSBRE99712X20131008

Just came across this story in a glance through various rail projects that I've heard mentioned. It looks like the PRI is actually going to drop the money needed to make a few projects happen down in Mexico. One of the projects (Mexico City-Toluca) is really a commuter line for all intents and purposes, but the others (the Mexico City-Queretaro line and the Yucatan line that's had me scratching my head for years) are also on the line for funding. No word on whether Puebla might be thrown in with either of the other lines at some point as well, but there's at least a tentative tender schedule.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Knowing Mexico and PRI promises and its World Class Corruption, you Might see some of this come true in your lifetime??? Mexico

used to have fun Passenger Trains and Routes!

 

[Nathanael]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/08/us-mexico-trains-idUSBRE99712X20131008

Just came across this story in a glance through various rail projects that I've heard mentioned. It looks like the PRI is actually going to drop the money needed to make a few projects happen down in Mexico. One of the projects (Mexico City-Toluca) is really a commuter line for all intents and purposes, but the others (the Mexico City-Queretaro line and the Yucatan line that's had me scratching my head for years) are also on the line for funding. No word on whether Puebla might be thrown in with either of the other lines at some point as well, but there's at least a tentative tender schedule.

How can I say this? This would be FREAKING AWESOME.

Mexico City - Queretaro is supposed to run at between 160km/h and 180km/h -- translating, that's 100-110 mph.

http://www.bnamericas.com/news/infrastructure/sct-signs-cooperation-agreement-for-mexico-queretaro-train

(It seems that they've decided which of the three options to go with by now, but it's not clear to me what they decided -- I wonder whether they intend to have separate passenger and freight tracks or not.)

The Yucatan train route looks like this:

http://cancun360.mx/yucatans-new-train-yeah-were-excited-too/7113/

The initial plan is Merida-Izamal-Valladolid-Coba-Cozumel. Which is a little odd, actually. It's supposed to be simply an upgrade of the existing route.

 

[CHamilton]

Tenders invited for Mexico City - Toluca railway

MEXICO's transport and communications ministry (SCT) has issued a call for tenders for construction of a 4.6km tunnel from Ocoyoacac Township, east of Toluca, west to the neighbouring Cuajimalpa delegation, which is the second section of the proposed 58km Toluca - Mexico City railway.

The announcement follows a call for tenders on February 28 for the initial 36km section of the railway from the line's Toluca terminus at Zinacantepec to the western portal of the proposed tunnel. The line will terminate at Observatory in Mexico City with four intermediate stations. Trains will operate at a maximum speed of 160km/h and complete the journey in 39 minutes and SCT says it expects around 270,000 passengers per day to use the service when it opens in 2017.

The new line is one of five railway commitments made by Mexican president Mr Enrique Peña Nieto on the first day of his administration on December 1 2012, and reiterated by SCT rail director Mr Carlos Almada in February.Almada said the government would invest Pesos 125bn ($US 9.56bn) in the schemes.

 

[Bob Dylan]

This is good news but knowing Mexico it will take 10 years to finish the project and half the money will be stolen and it will cost 10 times as much as the original plan! Sounds familiar, could it happen here?