Line Z (Tren Interoceánico)

{{Infobox rail

| railroad_name = Railway of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec

| logo_filename =

| logo_size =

| system_map = Ferrosur-map.png

| map_caption = Map of Ferroistmo line (in green) from Salina Cruz to junction with Ferrosur lines (in blue) to Veracruz and Coatzacoalcos

| map_size =

| marks =

| image =

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| image_caption =

| locale = Isthmus of Tehuantepec

| start_year =

| end_year =

| predecessor_line = FCCM

| successor_line =

| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}

| length =

| hq_city =

| website = {{URL|https://www.pasajerosinteroceanico.com.mx/}}

}}

The Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec (Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec, S.A. de C.V.; English: Railway of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec), also known as Tren Interoceánico ({{langx|en|Interoceanic Train}}), Line Z ({{langx|es|Línea Z}}), Ferrocarril Transístmico ({{langx|en|Trans-Isthmic Railroad}}) or simply Ferroistmo ({{langx|en|Rail Isthmus}}),{{Cite web|last=McManus|first=Lowell G.|url=http://www.mexlist.com/railways.htm|title=The Mexican Railways|accessdate=2011-01-31}} is part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, owned by the Mexican government, that crosses the Isthmus of Tehuantepec between Puerto Mexico, Veracruz, and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca. It is leased to Ferrocarril del Sureste FERROSUR.

The Mayab and Chiapas lines, now part of the FIT were formerly leased to Ferrocarriles Chiapas-Mayab until Genesee & Wyoming gave up its concession in 2007.[http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/central-america-going-nowhere.html Central America going nowhere]. Railway Gazette International August 2007. Originally it was known as the Tehuantepec Railway and Gennesse and Wyoming had track rights over the FIT from Salina Cruz to medias Aguas and over Ferrosur from Medias Aguas to El Chapo, just south of Coatzacoalcos, under its concession.

History

The potential of the route from the Atlantic to the Pacific across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec has long been appreciated. As early as 1814 the Spanish government authorized a canal across the Isthmus. Soon after Mexico became independent in 1821, surveys were carried out which recommended constructing a plank trail for wagons through the Chivela Pass, with the northernmost part of the route using the Coatzacoalcos River which flows northward to the Gulf of Mexico on the Atlantic side of the isthmus. The river would be dredged to allow navigation. Nothing came of either of these plans.{{cite book|first1 = Jose|last1=de Garay|title=Survey of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Executed in the Years 1842 and 1843|date=1844|place=London|publisher=Ackerman and Co|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Z1eh-rbWIlkC/page/n7}}{{cite journal|first=E.L.|last=Corthell|title=The Tehuantepec Route|journal=The Railroad Gazette|volume=34|issue=5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/Corthell1904Railwayage37newy/page/n0 154]–157|date=1904|url=https://archive.org/details/Corthell1904Railwayage37newy}}{{cite thesis |type=MA |last=Gordon |first=Nicolas Edward |date=2013|title=From the Crescent City to Jaguar Hill: New Orleans business interest in the Tehuantepec National Railroad of Mexico |publisher=University of Oklahoma|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282327796}}

File:The Isthmus of Tehuantepec Williams 1852 Masahua Pass.jpgMore serious planning began in the early 1840s, when José de Garay, the First Officer of the Ministry of War obtained a concession on the route and carried out a more thorough survey. After many failed attempts to obtain funding, the concession was taken over by a New Orleans company, The Tehuantepec Railroad Company of New Orleans (TRCNO). Despite diplomatic problems over the status of the concession, a further survey of the route was carried out by Major John G. Barnard. This was published in 1852.{{cite book|first=John Jay|last=Williams|title=The isthmus of Tehuantepec : being the results of a survey for a railroad to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, made by the scientific commission under the direction of Major J.G. Barnard, U.S. engineers|date=1852|place=New York|publisher=D. Appleton & Company|url=https://archive.org/details/isthmusoftehuant00will/page/n9}}

The years between 1852 and 1861 were turbulent both diplomatically and financially. The opening of the Panama Railroad in 1854 provided competition for the Tehuantepec route, but also gave warning that the TRNCO's cost estimates were wildly optimistic. The Panic of 1857 made raising capital for transportation projects more difficult. There were disputes over the concession with the Mexican Government.{{cite journal|first=J. Fred|last=Rippy|title=Diplomacy of the United States and Mexico Regarding the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, 1848-1860|journal=The Mississippi Valley Historical Review|volume=6|issue=1|pages=503–531

|date=1920|url=https://archive.org/details/jstor-1886471|doi=10.2307/1886471|jstor=1886471}} In spite of this, the company managed to construct a wagon trail (not a railroad) along the route, and offer a service for passengers and mail from New Orleans to San Francisco, starting in 1858. It was too little too late, however, and the company became insolvent in 1860. The outbreak of the American Civil War and the French intervention in Mexico the following year ended any immediate hope of reviving the project.

After the Civil War ended, there was once again interest in trans-isthmus routes, in particular for a canal. A commission was appointed by the US Government in 1872. A new survey of the Tehuantepec route had been carried out by Admiral R. W. Shufeldt in 1870, but in spite of his positive report{{cite journal|first1=Simon|last1=Stevens|first2=J.G.|last2=Barnard|first3=J.J.|last3=Williams|first4=Julius W.|last4=Adams|title=The New Route of Commerce by the Isthmus of Tehuantepec|journal=Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York|volume=3|pages=300–342|date=1872|url=https://archive.org/details/newrouteofcommer00stevrich/page/n6|doi=10.2307/196423|jstor=196423}} the commission recommended a route through Nicaragua in 1876.{{cite journal|first=John J.|last=Winberry|title=The Mexican Landbridge Project: The Isthmus of Tehuantepec and Inter-Oceanic Transit|journal=Yearbook.Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers|volume=13|pages=12–18|year=1987|jstor=25765675}} No government action resulted, however, and actual canal construction was started in Panama in 1881 by a French company headed by Ferdinand de Lesseps.

A radically different solution was proposed by James B. Eads - a ship-railway. Rather than a canal, he proposed a 6-track railway across the isthmus, with ships of up to 6,000 tons{{which|date=September 2020}} carried in a specially designed cradle.{{cite book|first=Elmer Lawrence|last=Corthell|title=The Atlantic & Pacific ship-railway across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec|date=1886|url=https://archive.org/details/atlanticpacific02cortgoog}} Eads' ideas received considerable support in the USA, but he died in 1887, and this was effectively the end of the proposal.

File:Another railroad from ocean to ocean greets the new year LOC 3909889040.jpgRailroad construction actually continued during this period, and the line was completed in 1894. It had many problems, including inadequate port facilities at each end, and varying standards of construction along the route. It soon became clear that a complete overhaul was necessary, and Weetman D. Pearson was contracted by the Mexican Government to undertake the work. The line was stabilized, and where necessary structures were rebuilt. Port facilities were established at Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz. The newly refurbished line opened in 1907.{{cite journal|first=Edmund Otis|last=Hovey|title=The Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Tehuantepec National Railway|journal=Bulletin of the American Geographical Society|volume=39|issue=2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/jstor-198380/page/n1 78]–91|date=1907|url=https://archive.org/details/jstor-198380|doi=10.2307/198380|jstor=198380}}{{cite journal|first=Edward B.|last=Glick|title=The Tehuantepec Railroad: Mexico's White Elephant|journal=Pacific Historical Review|volume=22|issue=4|pages=373–382|date=1953|jstor=4492098|doi=10.2307/4492098}} The locomotives on the line were oil-burning steam locomotives. The Tehuantepec Railroad was one of the first to use this source of power.{{cite journal|first=R. Godfrey|last=Aston|title=Oil-Burning Locomotives on the Tehuantepec National Railroad, Mexico|journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers|date=1911|volume=81|issue=1|pages=1023–1047|doi=10.1243/PIME_PROC_1911_081_021_02|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1742300}}

File:SS Texan NH 65045-A.jpgThe American-Hawaiian Steamship Company, which had been operating from San Francisco and Hawaii to New York through the Straits of Magellan contracted to provide connecting steamship lines to both ends of the railroad, allowing a 25 day service between San Francisco and New York.{{cite journal|title=A new trans-continental competitor|journal=The Railroad Gazette|date=1905|volume=39|issue=4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/railwayage39newy/page/74 74]–75|url=https://archive.org/details/railwayage39newy}} Sugar became a major part of the freight, amounting to 250,000 tons{{which|date=September 2020}} annually,{{cite journal|title=Hearing regarding Pacific Coast rate cases|journal=Railway Age Gazette|date=1911|volume=50|issue=14|pages=[https://archive.org/details/railwayage50newy/page/872 872]–873|url=https://archive.org/details/railwayage50newy}} and most of the sugar from Hawaii to Philadelphia and New York was carried on this route.{{cite journal|title=Transcontinental traffic via Tehuantepec|journal=The Railroad Gazette|date=1908|volume=44|issue=12|pages=[https://archive.org/details/railwayage44newy/page/423 423]|url=https://archive.org/details/railwayage44newy}}

The railroad prospered for seven years, until the Panama Canal opened in 1914. Despite optimistic forecasts that there was plenty of business for both the railroad and the canal, business declined drastically after 1914, not helped by the Mexican Revolution and the onset of the First World War. The railroad continued to handle substantial passenger traffic well into the fifties, but ceased to be a significant carrier of freight.

Redevelopment

{{Infobox rail service

| name = Line Z

| logo = Ferrocarril Interoceánico logo.svg

| logo_width =

| image = Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec (FIT) 2.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = EMD F59PH locomotive at Salina Cruz station, Oaxaca, Mexico.

| type = Regional rail, freight rail

| status = Operational

| locale = Isthmus of Tehuantepec

| predecessor =

| first = September 2023 (freight)
December 22, 2023 (passenger){{cite web|url=https://www.sinembargo.mx/22-12-2023/4446895|title=Abren ruta Istmo-Veracruz|language=Spanish|website=sinembargo.mx|date=December 22, 2023|accessdate=December 22, 2023}}

| operator = Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec

| ridership =

| ridership2 =

| website = [https://www.pasajerosinteroceanico.com.mx/ www.pasajerosinteroceanico.com.mx]

| start = Coatzacoalcos

| stops = 10

| end = Salina Cruz

| distance = {{convert|308|km}}{{cite journal|first=Fabian|last=Pamplona|title=Corredor Interoceánico: Semar informa sobre avances en puertos de Coatzacoalcos, Salina Cruz, Chiapas y Dos Bocas|journal=Diario del Istmo|date=17 October 2023|language=es|url=https://diariodelistmo.com/nacional/corredor-interoceanico-la-marina-informa-sobre-los-avances-en-puertos-de-coatzacoalcos-salina-cruz-chiapas-y-dos-boca/50445273|access-date=9 December 2023}}

| journeytime =

| trainnumber =

| line_used =

| stock = See rolling stock

| gauge = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}

| speed =

| owners =

| map = {{Line Z}}

}}

File:Istmo de Tehuantepec transportes.png

On 7 June 2020, President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced the beginning of the rehabilitation of the line. It will cost 3 billion pesos to begin the project, but in total, the project will cost 20 billion pesos.{{cite web|access-date=2022-04-25|first=Maritza|last=Pérez|title=Inician obras de rehabilitación del Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec|url=https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/estados/Inician-obras-de-rehabilitacion-del-Ferrocarril-del-Istmo-de-Tehuantepec-20200608-0021.html|website=El Economista}}

The project for the rehabilitation of the line will result in the speed of freight trains increasing from {{convert|20|kph}} to {{convert|70|kph}}, more than three times the current speed. Furthermore, this project will also lead to the introduction of a passenger train, which will be able to reach speeds of up to {{convert|80|kph}}.{{cite web |title="El 22 de diciembre se inaugura el Tren del Istmo": AMLO |url=https://www.proceso.com.mx/nacional/2023/10/14/el-22-de-diciembre-se-inaugura-el-tren-del-istmo-amlo-316776.html |website=www.proceso.com.mx |access-date=15 October 2023 |language=spanish}}

It will also enable links to existing freight lines, including the Coatzacoalcos–Palenque and Chiapas-Veracruz lines, as well as another railway line, the Ixtepec–Ciudad Hidalgo Line, that extends from the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT, by its initials in Spanish) to the city of Tapachula, in Chiapas.

The work includes the application of aluminum-thermal welding on rails, application of paint on bridges and structures, dismantling, weeding, and cleaning of ditches. This will be done through the work of crews of personnel for the railroad, and through the hiring of private companies.{{cite web|access-date=2022-05-21|archive-date=27 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527053616/https://www2.ferroistmo.com.mx/rehabilitacion-conservacion-y-mantenimiento-de-vias-puentes-y-estructuras-del-ferrocarril-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec-s-a-de-c-v/|language=es|title=Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec. S.A. de C.V. » Rehabilitación, Conservación y Mantenimiento de Vías, Puentes y Estructuras del Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec, S.A. de C.V.|url=https://www2.ferroistmo.com.mx/rehabilitacion-conservacion-y-mantenimiento-de-vias-puentes-y-estructuras-del-ferrocarril-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec-s-a-de-c-v/}}

The Medias Aguas-Salina Cruz section of the passenger railway performed its first tests in September 2023, including an official trip by the President and his staff, and the director of the CIIT, vice admiral Raymundo Morales Ángeles, stated that it will begin passenger operation in December, though cargo operations did officially begin in September.{{cite web |last1=Villa Román |first1=Elisa |title=Tren Interoceánico del Istmo de Tehuantepec: ruta completa, estaciones y fechas de inauguración |url=https://elpais.com/mexico/2023-10-01/tren-interoceanico-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec-ruta-completa-estaciones-y-fechas-de-inauguracion.html |website=El País |access-date=4 October 2023}} This opening includes 227 rehabilitated kilometers of roads (out of 308 total kilometers between Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz), 82 bridges and 290 drainage works. The modernization of this section, known as Line Z ({{langx|es|Línea Z}}), includes complementary works such as nine passenger stations, seven slopes, two supply stations, seven workshops, four yards, a single control and dispatch center, and two depots.{{cite web|access-date=2023-06-15|language=es-MX|title=Primera fase del Tren del Istmo se inaugurará en agosto; tiene avance del 80 %|url=https://imagendelgolfo.mx/coatzacoalcos/primera-fase-del-tren-del-istmo-se-inaugurara-en-agosto/50337497|website=Imagen del Golfo}}

On December 22, 2023, the passenger train service on Line Z from Coatzacoalcos to Salina Cruz was inaugurated.{{cite web|url=https://www.sinembargo.mx/22-12-2023/4446895|title=Abren ruta Istmo-Veracruz|language=Spanish|website=sinembargo.mx|date=December 22, 2023|accessdate=December 22, 2023}} Raymundo Morales Ángeles reported that the historic stations in Salina Cruz, Ixtepec, Mogoñé, and Medias Aguas, as well as the new stations in Chivela and Donají, were opened. However, in June 2024, the second stage of Line Z will open. Matías Romero railway station will reopen then, while 9 new stations will also open: Coatzacoalcos, Jáltipan, Jesús Carranza, Ubero, Sarabia, Lagunas, Nizanda, Comitancillo and Tehuantepec.{{cite web |title=Ferrocarril Interoceánico del Istmo de Tehuantepec, una obra que reivindicará a los pueblos de Oaxaca: Salomón Jara |url=https://www.oaxaca.gob.mx/comunicacion/ferrocarril-interoceanico-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec-una-obra-que-reivindicara-a-los-pueblos-de-oaxaca-salomon-jara/ |website=Government of the State of Oaxaca |access-date=6 January 2024}}{{cite web |last1=López |first1=Santos |title=Tren Interoceánico a punto de concluir estación de Lagunas Oaxaca |url=https://diariodelistmo.com/nacional/tren-interoceanico-a-punto-de-concluir-estacion-de-lagunas-oaxaca/50569202 |website=diariodelistmo.com |date=September 2, 2024 |access-date=September 8, 2024 |language=es-MX}}

= Rolling stock =

On 13 August 2023, ex-Union Pacific SD70M locomotives were presented that would be used for the train.{{Cite web |date=14 August 2023 |title=Presentan primera locomotora del Tren Interoceánico del Istmo de Tehuantepec - Centro Urbano |url=https://centrourbano.com/construccion/tren-interoceanico-del-istmo/ |access-date=22 December 2023 |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=15 August 2023 |title=Llegó la locomotora del mega proyecto del Tren Interoceánico del Istmo de Tehuantepec |url=https://mxcity.mx/2023/08/llego-la-locomotora-del-mega-proyecto-del-tren-interoceanico-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec/ |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=MXCity |language=es}} These locomotives would later be joined by ex-GO Transit GMD F59PH locomotives. {{cite web |title=RXCX 18520 spotted in Mobile, Alabama earlier today. Ex-GO Transit EMD F59PH will be exported to Mexico soon to join the Tren Interoceánico fleet. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/16wqzb6/rxcx_18520_spotted_in_mobile_alabama_earlier/ |website=Reddit |access-date=5 January 2024 |date=1 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Salida del tren presidencial después de la Inauguración de la estación de Ixtepec, Oaxaca |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gstZ8qlKmXE |access-date=6 January 2024 |language=en}} The Tren Interoceánico also purchased 12 passenger coaches from the Railway Excursion Management Company (Railexco), including a dome car named the Stampede Pass, three ex-Amtrak Amfleet coaches,{{cite web |title=Ancient and super luxury wagons are coming to the Ferrocarril del Istmo; they will cover the Coatzacoalcos-Salina Cruz route |url=https://costaveracruz.net/2023/08/29/vienen-vagones-antiguos-y-de-super-lujo-para-el-ferrocarril-del-istmo-cubriran-ruta-coatzacoalcos-salina-cruz/ |website=Costa Veracruz |access-date=6 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829185230/https://costaveracruz.net/2023/08/29/vienen-vagones-antiguos-y-de-super-lujo-para-el-ferrocarril-del-istmo-cubriran-ruta-coatzacoalcos-salina-cruz/ |archive-date=29 August 2023 |language=es-MX |date=29 August 2023 |url-status=usurped}} and 5 Budd SPV-2000 coaches.{{cite web |title=Tren Interoceánico; llegan más vagones al puerto de Coatzacoalcos ¿desde donde? |url=https://diariodelistmo.com/coatzacoalcos/tren-interoceanico-llegan-mas-vagones-al-puerto-de-coatzacoalcos-desde-donde-/50458963 |website=Diario del Istmo |access-date=6 January 2024 |language=es-MX}}

On 26 August 2023, the Stadler Citylink trains from the former Puebla-Cholula Tourist Train arrived at Coatzacoalcos railway station for use on the train.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-26 |title=Llegan a Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, dos locomotoras del Tren Interoceánico del Corredor Transístmico |url=https://lasillarota.com/veracruz/estado/2023/8/26/llega-coatzacoalcos-primera-locomotora-del-tren-interoceanico-444683.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=La Silla Rota |language=es}}{{Cite web |last=alcalorpolitico.com |title=Arriba tren que se usará en proyecto del Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec |url=https://www.alcalorpolitico.com/informacion/arriba-tren-que-se-usara-en-proyecto-del-ferrocarril-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec-393389.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=Al Calor Politico |language=es}}

In addition, the Mexican government bought 12 special wagons (including three Amfleet coaches) from the Railway Excursion Management Company (Railexco).{{Cite web |last=WordPress.com. |date=2023-08-29 |title=Vienen vagones antiguos y de súper lujo para el Ferrocarril del Istmo; cubrirán ruta Coatzacoalcos-Salina Cruz |url=https://costaveracruz.net/2023/08/29/vienen-vagones-antiguos-y-de-super-lujo-para-el-ferrocarril-del-istmo-cubriran-ruta-coatzacoalcos-salina-cruz/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=Costa Veracruz |language=es}} They also bought three British Rail Class 43 locomotives and 11 British Rail Mark 3 coaches,{{cite web |last1=López |first1=Heder |title=Tren Interoceánico: por este motivo se compraron trenes antiguos de Londres |url=https://diariodelistmo.com/coatzacoalcos/tren-interoceanico-por-este-motivo-se-compraron-trenes-antiguos-de-londres/50570971 |website=diariodelistmo.com |date=September 7, 2024 |access-date=September 8, 2024 |language=es-MX}} which reached the port of Coatzacoalcos on the ship ARKHANGELSK.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-09 |title=Llegan tres locomotoras y 11 vagones para el Ferrocarril del Istmo {{!}} La Jornada Veracruz |url=https://jornadaveracruz.com.mx/principal/llegan-tres-locomotoras-y-11-vagones-para-el-ferrocarril-del-istmo/ |access-date=2023-09-11 |language=es-MX}}{{Cite web |title=Tren Interoceánico: concluye desembarque de locomotoras en el Puerto de Coatzacoalcos ¿llegarán más? |url=https://diariodelistmo.com/coatzacoalcos/tren-interoceanico-concluye-desembarque-de-locomotoras-en-el-puerto-de-coatzacoalcos-llegaran-mas/50430933 |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=Diario del Istmo |language=es-MX}} The purchased HSTs weigh 70.25 tons and 17.79 meters (58 feet) of length each,as well as wagons of 38.18 tons and 23 m (75' 5 _^1/2 ") in length.{{Cite web |title=Desembarcan locomotoras para ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec |url=https://www.milenio.com/videos/negocios/desembarcan-locomotoras-para-ferrocarril-del-istmo-de-tehuantepec |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Grupo Milenio |date=12 September 2023 |language=es-MX}}