I am leaving next week for a week in the state of Jalisco Mexico. specifically Guadalajara with some side trips. Has anyone done any railfanning in mexico? I think it would be cool to find a nice spot trackside and watch what runs through down there. If you have some pics please post or link. thanks
I was kind of expecting something from Ed for sure. But many of us must be close to the border and may have done some trips into mexico. I was examining maps of mexico ands was very excited to see rail lines throughout the country. I had these memmories of passenger service from back in the seventies so i just assumed they had passenger service still running today. From what I can tell there is only one remaining passenger line now. I am not goiong to be anywhere near it either. Perhaps another trip. This is my first trip to Mexico BTW. I will be visiting Guadalajara and the coast near there.
In the mean time here are somethings that I know about that may or may not be near your route. National Railway Museum in Puebla (Ed G Murphy) Copper Canyon Train (Chihuahua al Pacífico Train)
Okay, reporting in here. I was away for almost two weeks on a trip NOB, including two visits to my (not so L)HS in Houston. Two main options for railfanning in the Gudalajara area. The Ferromex (FXE) mainline runs throuh there. Check out their route map at: http://www.ferromex.com.mx/ruta.html TFM, the biggest of the Mexican roads, also serves Guadalajara, but probably not as much traffic. Their route map is: http://www.tfm.com.mx/ruta_en.htm I'm not familiar with the area so I can't recommend any specific good trainwatching sites. But FXE has a lot of traffic so you should be able to get something if you just ask someone where the ferrocarril is. The second option, which could be worth it for a day trip, is the "Tequila Express". This is a tourist passenger train that makes a short run from Guadalajara up to the tequila country, stopping at Amatitán. It only runs saturdays and Sundays. It includes lunch and a tour of a tequila distillery, and a round trip ride. Their website is: http://www.tequilaexpress.com.mx/ingles/index.html Enjoy the trip. Report back afterwards. Regards
Sorry, Fitz. I don't know that level of detail about the units. I do know that they're supposedly still in running condition and that they fire up the diesels every two weeks to get the oil circulating. But they don't move them. Regards
That sounds good. Although if not moved, it's not good for the traction motors, etc. Maybe some day they can come back home... Boxcab E50
The four PA D&H Engines (#16, #17, #18, & #19) two have come home to the USA and the other two are those shown above. Mexico has done a great job keeping #17 and #19 looking good...
Maybe some day they can come back home... I wouldn't hold my breath. They're nicely maintained and I don't think the National Railway Museum is in any hurry to let them go. Regards
Not at all close, unfortunately. Look at the FerroMex system map. He'll be around Guadalajara, which is in west-central Mexico. The Copper Canyon route runs from Chihuahua to the coast at Los Mochis (Topolobampo) in northwest Mexico. Route map: http://www.ferromex.com.mx/ruta.html
Thanks for the tips ed. I plan to have this be only the first of many trips down to mexico, so even if all I do is spot some trains from a distanceI'll be happy. that tour train sounds fun but it will depend on my travelpartner if he wants to ride it.
Sure, there's: KCSdeM (was TFM until a couple of days ago) - Kansas City Southern de Mexico, wholly owned by Kansas City Southern. FXE Ferromex (Ferrocarril Mexicano, S.A. de C.V.) is owned 55.5 percent by Grupo México, S.A. de C.V., 26 percent by Union Pacific Railroad, and 18.5 percent by companies controlled by Carlos Slim Helú. FSRR Ferrosur, S.A. de C.V. is owned 75 percent by Grupo México, S.A. de C.V. and 25 percent by companies controlled by Carlos Slim Helú. FVTM Ferrovalle (Ferrocarril y Terminal del Valle de México, S.A. de C.V.) is jointly owned by Kansas City Southern de México, Ferromex, Ferrosur, and the Mexican federal government. FCCM Ferrocarriles Chiapas-Mayab (Compañía Ferrocarriles Chiapas-Mayab, S.A. de C.V.) is wholly owned by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. LFCD Ferrocarril Coahuila Durango (Linea Coahuila Durango, S.A. de C.V.) is jointly owned by Industrias Peñoles, S.A de C.V. and Grupo Acerero del Norte, S.A. de C.V. FPN Ferrocarriles Peninsulares del Noroeste, S.A. de C.V. is wholly owned by and operated as part of Carrizo Gorge Railway, Inc. CGR CG Railway, Inc. is wholly owned by International Shipholding Corporation. One of the best sites to get info on Mexican railroads is Mexlist: http://www.mexlist.com/welcome.htm The descriptions above were copied from one of their pages. The page also provides links to each of the railroad's websites. Here's the link to the page: http://www.mexlist.com/railways.htm MexList also maintains a forum on Mexican railroads here: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEXLIST/ Oh, and by the way, FXE is supposed to be absorbing FSRR. Remains to be seen if it will be approved by the courts, but that was the announcement on the street a few days ago. One last item. The "Copper Canyon" line that most people have heard about is part of the FXE system. http://www.chepe.com.mx/ing_html/index.html Regards
Thank's so much for the information I had no idea that there were so many different railroads in Mexico.
When the C40-8 was new, one of the Mexican companiesbought a C40-8 in a BB-BB truck arrangement. Eight axles. It was to spread the axle weight. I saw a picture of it in X2200Southmagazine.
