Western Railroad Discussion > Through Mexico Part I - Nogales to Guadalajara; The FCP

Having been back for a month now, its time to see some recent action on the Mexican lines. This month-long railfan/surf trip through Mexico and Central America ended up being a little disappointing. Traffic volumes on most lines were about as low as I've ever seen and the surf just never hit right. While driving for my first three days along the coast and former SPdeM/Pacifico mainline, I saw only one train during daylight hours. However, a few trains would pass during the night while camping near the tracks.

Anyway, here's a look at some Ferromex action on their División Hermosillo and División Guadalajara - the former Ferrocarril del Pacifico from Nogales to Guadalajara.

-Nate
___________________________________________________________
1. In Sonora, it appears that Ferromex is completely rebuilding the line from Empalme to the port of Guyamas. The track has been completely removed and the roadbed is being regraded. I don't know much about it, but its a large scale project for such a sleepy branch.

2. The former station at Coral. It sits inside the wye with the long abandoned southern line to Nacozari - via the Rio Yaqui. The track in the foreground is the Ferromex mainline.

3. An inbound GDSF finishes a set-out at Sufragio while the yard job switches of the main in the distance. The train will eventually continue to Empalme with a new crew using a DSFEM symbol.

---

---

---

4. The ex SPdeM bridge over the Rio Fuerte. Still no trains.

5. My future retirement home, north of Mazatlan. Still no trains.

6. Finally, the action starts. At Bonita, Sinaloa, a southbound manifest approaches the end of the flat run along the coastal plains. An SD70 Ace leads.

---

---

---

7. Exiting Miravalles Canyon at La Curva, Nayarit, a light power move is nearing its destination at the DPU terminal of Tepic.

8. A Northbound at La Curva.

9. The former SP and FCP depots at Compostela.

---

---

---

10. Having descended the Barrancas, this northbound is 147kms into its journey from Guadalajara as it parallels the free road near Ixtlán del Rio.

11. The final grade on the accent into the Sierra Madre is known as the Barrancas. This rugged piece of railroad is extreamely inaccessible, but photographable from the highway. This area is probably best known by railfans for the impressive Salsipuedes trestle - which is extreamly difficult to view by other than rail. Here, a northbound train exits one of the many tunnels while descending the Barrancas.

12. The village of Barrancas is virtually a ghost town now. Once a bustling railroad town and division point between Tepic and Guadalajara, very little has changed since the Pacifico and SPdeM days. Here, a southbound manifest slowly cruises through town with dynamic breaks howling.

---

---

---

13. In Barrancas, the former STFRM union hall still quietly stands.

14. Shooting into crummy light, a southbound slowly climbs across one of the many trestles on the Barrancas.

15. The same southbound approaching the summit of the Sierra Madres.

---

---

---

16. At La Quemada, a southbound manifest rounds one last curve before sprinting across a flat high valley and beginning the descent into the Tequila region of Jalisco.

17. Approaching Magdalena, a northbound passes through the blue agave fields of the Tequila region.

18. A southbound train descends into the town of Tequila, center of Mexico's tequila industry.

---

---

---

The rails of SP de Mexico and the Pacifico never reached the city of Guadalajara, but used trackage rights over the NdeM for the last 20 miles.

In the next part, I'll show some Ferromex and KCSM action in the Bajío and on the road to Mexico City.

-Nate
_________________________________________________________________

19. Southbound at Tequila.

20. A soutbound train enters the outskirts of Guadalajara, now on former Nacionales de Mexico trackage. The team track and lead into the Oleofinos plant is barely visible in the grass. Hector, can you name this location?

---

---

Mas....Mas!!!!.. hungry for tacos
Nice job, Thanks.
billincalientenv

Wow, what a trip! Thanks for sharing a piece of the Mexican rail scene. Roadbed appears to be in pretty good shape.

outstanding stuff. thanks for sharing.........

66

Thanks much for sharing ... really enjoyed the pix and information.

Outstanding Photos. Very intresting stuff. Thank you for posting em.

Awesome stuff, thanks for sharing photos of an area that this middle aged Gringo from southern NV probably will never see.

Nice job with the locations and the photos. Maybe your next trip there will be more to see in the way of traffic.

Standing O, Nate! Fantastic imagery!

Thanks for making the efforts to photograph something I'll never see in person.

Take Care,

Bob

ATSF100WEST......Out

Well I was lucky enough to see and in some cases travel over nearly all of the FXE as a consultant for about four years ending in 2002. Nate is the TO source for Mexico. Nice job.

Mexrail

Hmmm... La Venta?

natemuhl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The rails of SP de Mexico and the Pacifico never
> reached the city of Guadalajara, but used trackage
> rights over the NdeM for the last 20 miles.
>
> In the next part, I'll show some Ferromex and KCSM
> action in the Bajío and on the road to Mexico
> City.
>
> -Nate
> __________________________________________________
> _______________
>
> 19. Southbound at Tequila.
>
> 20. A soutbound train enters the outskirts of
> Guadalajara, now on former Nacionales de Mexico
> trackage. The team track and lead into the
> Oleofinos plant is barely visible in the grass.
> Hector, can you name this location?

I will cross over on the 5th at Lukeville. Puerto Penisco has one train a day, usually around midnight and 4 AM. All the crossing equipment is gone north of town and the rest all have "Alto" signs. People don't pay any attention so the cops have a field day when a train comes thru.

Dollar Margaritas and beers on the beach until March. (Well, someone has to do it)


Nudge

Nate, You should really make a book on all your adventures in Mexico over the past years, You have great photos and insight.

Nudge, RP is nice right now, I was just there. There are some great deals on rooms. The cement facility still gets cars quite frequently.

Mike

One of the ultimate "You shoulda been here ten years ago" situations.
It looks so removed from the three tape Pentrex series as to be another
country.