Western Railroad Discussion > Mexicali to Mexico City Intermodal Heading Out March 5

The Mexicali to Mexico City intermodal has just begun its journey and is about 10KM or so from Mexicali Yard as it races south with automboiles sharing the ROW and the stick rail going snap crackle pop like a bowl of Rice Krispies. 

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I didn't know there was a Mexicali-Mexico City intermodal train.  I haven't seen UP's El Centro Hauler in awhile, do you suppose any of these cars get transferred to UP?  Did you notice any non-marine containers on this train?  Looks like a good string of cars for one unit.  Was there a DPU?

mapboy

The stacks on stick rail immediately caught my eye! You don't see that everyday. At least not north of the border.
Gonut

Very cool!

Excellent catch.
JB

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't know there was a Mexicali-Mexico City
> intermodal train.  I haven't seen UP's El Centro
> Hauler in awhile, do you suppose any of these cars
> get transferred to UP?  Did you notice any
> non-marine containers on this train?  Looks like
> a good string of cars for one unit.  Was there a
> DPU?
>
> mapboy

It appears they are 53 foot domestics, but the brand doesn't look familiar.  In ELs post of the Mexico City to Mexicali train, there appears to be an XPO box on the lead platform.     Guessing they are all offloaded at Mexicali, whether for local dest or drayed into 'merica.    

memphisfreight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mapboy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I didn't know there was a Mexicali-Mexico City
> > intermodal train.  I haven't seen UP's El
> Centro
> > Hauler in awhile, do you suppose any of these
> cars
> > get transferred to UP?  Did you notice any
> > non-marine containers on this train?  Looks
> like
> > a good string of cars for one unit.  Was there
> a
> > DPU?
> >
> > mapboy
>
> It appears they are 53 foot domestics, but the
> brand doesn't look familiar.  In ELs post of the
> Mexico City to Mexicali train, there appears to be
> an XPO box on the lead platform.     Guessing
> they are all offloaded at Mexicali, whether for
> local dest or drayed into 'merica.    

From what I can see in Google Maps and the limited street views, those orangeish containers are Ferromex. 

Again, just going by what can be seen in Google Maps, those intermodel trains originate/terminate at a intermodel yard about 3 miles Southeast of the border.

Memphisfreight and longliveSP, thanks for the replies.  I found this thread before the other Mexicali-Mexico City thread.  The container colors made me think marine traffic, it didn't occur to me to look at the railcars.
mapboy

memphisfreight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mapboy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I didn't know there was a Mexicali-Mexico City
> > intermodal train.  I haven't seen UP's El
> Centro
> > Hauler in awhile, do you suppose any of these
> cars
> > get transferred to UP?  Did you notice any
> > non-marine containers on this train?  Looks
> like
> > a good string of cars for one unit.  Was there
> a
> > DPU?
> >
> > mapboy
>
> It appears they are 53 foot domestics, but the
> brand doesn't look familiar.  In ELs post of the
> Mexico City to Mexicali train, there appears to be
> an XPO box on the lead platform.     Guessing
> they are all offloaded at Mexicali, whether for
> local dest or drayed into 'merica.    

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't know there was a Mexicali-Mexico City
> intermodal train.  I haven't seen UP's El Centro
> Hauler in awhile, do you suppose any of these cars
> get transferred to UP?  Did you notice any
> non-marine containers on this train?  Looks like
> a good string of cars for one unit.  Was there a
> DPU?
>
> mapboy

Pretty sure there were no marine trailers... but I didn't look that hard. Think it was all domesitc (Mexico). Most said Ferromex on them. Everything is off-loaded or loaded in Mexicali, as far as I know. Do not believe any of these cross the border on a rail car. Maybe some do by truck? 

mapboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't know there was a Mexicali-Mexico City
> intermodal train.  I haven't seen UP's El Centro
> Hauler in awhile, do you suppose any of these cars
> get transferred to UP?  Did you notice any
> non-marine containers on this train?  Looks like
> a good string of cars for one unit.  Was there a
> DPU?
>
> mapboy


Just one unit. My understanding is that this train picks up cars along the way and picks up units as it goes, also.