MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week that the country will spend 157 billion pesos ($7.7 billion) in 2025 as part of its previously announced plan to develop new passenger rail lines, as well as to develop the Yucatán Peninsula’s Maya Train for freight operations.
In a Nov. 28 announcement, Sheinbaum said work would begin in April 2025 on three routes she had identified in July: Mexico City-Nuevo Laredo; Mexico City-Querétaro-Guadalaraja; and Pachuca to the Felipe Angeles International Airport, or AIFA, north of Mexico City [see “Mexico’s president-elect announces plans …,” Trains News Wire, July 11, 2024].
The newspaper El Economista reports that the rail lines will be built in non-contiguous sections, with the goal of serving the largest possible number of people while the projects are still in progress. The head of the agency overseeing the project, Andrés Lajous, said the portions to begin construction next year include Nuevo-Saltillo, 306 kilometers (190 miles); Mexico City-Querétaro, 242 kilometers (150 miles); Querétaro-Irapuato, 184 kilometers (114 miles); and the 54-kilometer (33.5-mile) Pachuca-AIFA route. Technical studies are already underway with a builder selected for the AIFA-Pachua and Mexico City-Querétero work; the government will be selecting builders for the other two segments and issue a tender for rolling stock in the first half of the year.
The government’s goal is to have some 3,000 kilometers of new passenger lines (about 1,860 miles) completed by the end of Sheinbaum’s term. Mexico’s presidents are limited to a single six-year term.
As was the case with the construction of the Maya Train, Mexico’s army will be involved with construction, maintenance, and operation of the new routes, but private companies will also be involved.
The government’s announcement terms the Maya Train — a major project of Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manual López Obrador — “a success,” although ridership remains below projections and a portion of it is still unfinished well after the original February target for completion. Sheinbaum previously said it will take $1.86 billion to complete the project to make it suitable for freight service [see “Incoming Mexican government will need $4.4 billion …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 10, 2024]. The announcement says freight service will provide greater profitability.
What a sad commentary on both the US and Canada. Based on the proportion of GDP Mexico is spending, the equivalent amount for the United States would be $118B. Which country is third world now?
GREGG — USA and Canada have much to answer for, but I can’t let Mexico being held up as any sort of shining light. When I see passenger trains running in Mexico then I’ll believe it.
It’s not the input – money appropriated – it’s the output – trains carrying passengers.
In answer to your rhetorical question, which is the Third World Country, my answer is all three until Biden and Trudeau are out of office.
#1 Mexico ended nationalized passenger trains in the 1990s so they are no paragon of the cause.
#2 I’ll believe this when I see it.