Western Railroad Discussion > Ferromex Action in Downtown Nogales, Sonora (continued)

Saturday, 19 April 20251.

1.Next morning the weather was weird, with a mixture of rain, hail and sun. Intel from Mococomike indicated southward trains were in position to cross. As I was making my way towards downtown, I intercepted this heavy loaded southward manifest train. The grade southward from the international line to Nogales yard is a stiff 1.67 percent, so these two brutes were sending bass and vibes through the quiet Saturday morning. The location is where Federal 15 splits into directional running

2. Despite sound and fury, the gentleman at the bus stop seemed more intrigue by the crazy guy standing on a rock photographing, and paid no attention to the train.

3. A former NdeM gondola with a Herbie inspired marking -- "El Terco" the stubborn one. Brake shoe info in Spanish.

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4. Loaded grain cars next to a tomales stand, with Yosemite Sam challenging us lily-livered, bow-legged varmits. 
Crisscrossing the border is cement, grain, sulfuric acid, copper concentrate, LPG, car parts, finished autos, beer, beer, and more beer.  Sonora and the state of Sinaloa produce agricultural products, especially tomatoes (and a major reason the SPdeM pushed construction south of Guaymas), but none of it is captured on rail, either on Ferromex or Union Pacific. On the US side approaching Nogales are many produce warehouse. Another commodity missing in quantity  (rail or truck) is US and Canadian soft lumber. Almost all homes in Mexico are constructed of cement block, the preferred material, which Mexico has in abundance.   

5. Less than a half-a-block is this heavy-weight Pullman, now serving as a house. 

6. As I was taking a picture, the owner pulled up, got out of his car, and proceeded to come near my position and closed a small opening of a make-shift gate, the message being something like "what are you doing?" I told him I was photographing trains and was intrigued by this passenger car, his demeanor changed completely.  He then explained that this car was a Pullman (Dormitorio) and it had been at this location since 1948. He said I was welcomed to to pictures on the other side.  I'll leave it to the experts to determine the arrangement (12-1?)

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7. Next stop was another pedestrian overpass situated just north of the wye for the branch line to Cananea and Nacozari. The wye is at the top, north end of the yard at Nogales. Here we see light power ready to cross-over and get on its train.

8. I took momentary refuge from a sudden downpour when I heard a horn.  I emerged to see gondolas taking the south end of the wye and headed on the branch.. Ay No!  I missed the headend. Trains on this line have been elusive to me despite the fact I lived about 2 miles next to them for nearly a year (not in Nogales). In retrospect. I should have initiated a chase. I'm not sure how trains on the branch will be handled in the future. The grade leaving Nogales to Portezuelo is a tough 2.7 percent.

9. A vehicle train leaving north. These trains originate from Ford's Hermosillo plant. The last I read is that Hermosillo was producing Mavericks and Broncos for the US, Canadian and Mexico markets. I also read that Ford wants to increase Hermosillo's output to other South American markets and ship them out of Guaymas. I understand all import and export cars from the Pacific use the port of  Lazaro Cardenas, many miles (kilometers) south in the state of Michocan. It is Mexico's largest port, and is served exclusively by CPKC.

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10. Leaving Nogales yard. The old gate  is now abandon.

11. I decided to "chase." Train is about to cross Calle Providencia. Barely visible off to the very right is a municipal police officer on motorcycle protecting the crossing. Once deemed secure, he will race to the next crossing. Eventually, they will close the Sentri lane and not reopen it until the train has passed. 

12. Coming.

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13. Going.



14. A quick video. Gives an idea of speed through town. Birds tempting fate.

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15. A south and a north were scheduled next. Decided next place was the last pedestrian overpass I hadn't perched on between Nogales yard and the border – Calle Astolfo R. Cardenas. Laziness prevented me from photographing the southbound, but I was ready for the northward. Una rana (frog) kept a suspicious eye on me. El venado (deer) is part of the Yaqui culture and can be found through out Sonora.

16. Northward empty grain train. Local 2-way lanes to the left, Highway 15 right

17. New car smell. Blt 3-25.

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18.  Feeling lucky, I gambled on a chase and was able to nabbed it again. The weather was coolish, so the open door was probably not for ventilation, but likely  ready for a crew change at the border. The bright yellow blossoms of the Palo Verde in the background tells us it's Spring. And the ever-present OXXO, the 7-11/Circle K of Mexico, where you can buy beer (si, claro), snacks, and pay your electrical bill (from CFE),  tells us that we're in Mexico (though I have shopped at an OXXO  in Bogota, so they are not strictly limited to Mexico). 

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The game plan all along, during Semana Santa, was to photograph and observe train movements centered around Nogales as much as possible, taking advantage of light car and pedestrian traffic.   But once the last of the trains had passed, I felt  free to investigate the new line. One mystery to me is where the new line will cross Federal Highway 15. From a point just south of Benjamin Hill, all the way to Nogales (Encima), the SPdeM/Ferromex  is located west of Highway 15.  On the way down to Ciudad Obregon a couple weeks ago to visit friends, I fully expected to see new construction crossing the highway in the vicinity of Imuris. Much to my surprise, I did not. Nor did I see any evidence anywhere in the area except a staging yard full of cement ties next to Highway 15. .After consulting a map, I somewhat surmised where the cutoff “should” start, at a place west and slightly south of Imuris, not visible from the highway. On return north I was unable to cross the highway at Imuris due to major congestion southbound, from the beginning of Semana Sanata,  made worse by a military checkpoint.  This time I was going to get there. After checking Agua Zarca yard and noting no activity, I raced south to Imuris.

19. On partly paved and then dirt road, I got to this point fully expecting to see evidence of construction,  but there was nothing. Just then a pickup truck slowed to cross the track, and I motioned him that I wanted to ask a question. He stopped and I asked where is the new railroad line. His answer: “mande?”  slang for “What!?” I repeated myself and he gave the same look and shook his head. He then called his wife (who spoke good English) and she was just as confused.
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20. Looking north.

21. ..And then west with a peaceful hacienda in the background

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22. Mexico is the only Latin American country that I know that uses the word Alto for stop signs. Peru and Colombia use Pare, from the verb parar, to stop. I've never gotten an answer as to why Alto, because alto means high or tall (like a mountain). I've long surmised that it stems from when police officers manned busy city corners and raised their hand high in the air to indicate Stop. Just a semi-educated guess.

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When the government initiates a big infrastructure project, elected officials like to stage shovel-turning  ceremonies to show the voting public that their government is making a difference.   This is true for most countries and Mexico is no exception. I lived in Sonora nearly a year, and closely monitored the  news covering the entire state. But I saw nothing of this rail relocation until one day a story appeared about ranch landowners near El Comaquito dam raising hell about the government taking property without fair compensation and ignoring the required environmental regulations and approval process. It was accompanied by a photo of a finished graded ROW. The story continued that the project was to by-pass Nogales and meet the UP east of Nogales.  Whoa, where did this come from. I alerted some friends who are familiar with operations north of the border and they were unaware of the line, or its intentions. It's entirely possible I missed the announcement, but I remember the governor  of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, discussing improvements and expansion at the port to Guaymas. But there was no mention of a new rail line.

Just the other day another investigative article was questioning why the government did not complete the necessary environmental studies and the fact they were building in protected areas. Maybe this was  why there is little in the way of information. 

At any rate, I needed to return to Nogales before sun down and wanted to see if I could find the south end of the tunnel, or any other evidence of new construction.

23. Looking west on the Nogales-Cananea-Nacozari branch crossing Calzada de los Portales, within the residential area of  Nogales, less than a mile from Nogales yard.

24. Looking east. The 2.7 eastward percent grade to the summit of  Portezuelo is about 1 mile.

25. I kept an eye on the branch as much as possible while following it east to the eastern limits of Nogales,  along the Nogales-San Antonio roadway. No signs of the new line. This photo, looking geographically north, is near the point where the railroad turns south and follows the Santa Cruz river. Notice new rail (compared to the last shots taken in the city). Could the connection be west of here?

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26. The other direction. Notice the crossing of the Santa Cruz to the left in the distance.

27. Crossing the Santa Cruz, looking south. 

28. Another angle. Logic would dictate that this will be part of the new line and the connection to the south. But I would like to see construction evidence of such connection, west or east, before declaring this to be true.

The same reason that I occupied Nogales for Santa Semana was the same reason I decided to return home Saturday night– what comes out, must come back in. And all the traffic would return in force come Sunday late afternoon. Hopefully I'll be able to  return in a month or two for further investigation

The new line north from Imuris will take a path east of the Madrean range. Federal Highway 2, the main east-west route between El Paso and Tijuana, heads east at Imuris and crosses this range on a steep and winding route, complete with hairpin turns.  I've taken this hair-raising highway a few times. This means the railroad somehow must do the same. Being somewhat familiar with the topography, I have to believe it isn't trivial, even if it is following a water path. Access to areas south of Highway 2 between Imuris and Cananea is limited, and my current vehicle may not be up to the task. Driving a vehicle along this particular route without a Mexican plate requires a special permit. I may have to swap “paper”to my other vehicle, which is more suitable for the roads around these rugged areas.

I will break the the axiom of – if one does not know, one should keep silent.  As I gather from various sources, FXE (or the Mexican government) wanted to meet the UP along the Santa Cruz as it flows into the US, which would require the UP to build a line to meet it. UP was not immediately interested because of the expense, the lengthy process of securing ROW, overcoming the environmental issues and the inevitable lawsuits. So instead of waiting around for the UP, the government decided to make a left turn and blast a mile long tunnel. Once again, I only learned about the tunnel when a news story appeared about residents living above the tunnel complaining about dynamite blast below them. By then, the tunnel was almost completed.  One can come to the conclusion that the railroad and government are not messing around.

From time to time I'll post my other travels in Mexico that I have taken in the last 3 or 4 years and give further updates on the ground when they become available. 

Hasta luego....

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Great shots! I love the intensely intimate, urban right of ways hosting large, mainline freights! Such a unique rail network down there.

Tom Loftus
Omaha, NE

Another impressive piece of work, Brad. How long does producing these things take you, anyway?

Do Mexican diesels have air conditioning?

timz Wrote:
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> Another impressive piece of work, Brad. How long
> does producing these things take you, anyway?
>
> Do Mexican diesels have air conditioning?

I am certain that every diesel locomotive in Mexico has some form of AC or climate control. It can be really cold at night and really hot during the day. 

Great travelogue.  Thanks for posting and keeping us updated.

Ted Ferkenhoff
Flagstaff, AZ

Thank you for sharing those photos.  They give a very good idea of what's going on south of the border.

I noticed that by American (United States) standards, grade crossing protection is pathetic.  But another way of putting it is that Mexicans don't need to be told not to drive in front of a train.  Americans need all kinds of flashing lights and gates to warn them and even that doesn't work all the time.

Stan Praisewater

Very interesting reports in the eyes of this Brit. My only experience of Mexican freight trains is in and around Mexico City

Posted from Android

sagehen Wrote:
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> Thank you for sharing those photos.  They give a
> very good idea of what's going on south of the
> border.
>
> I noticed that by American (United States)
> standards, grade crossing protection is
> pathetic.  But another way of putting it is that
> Mexicans don't need to be told not to drive in
> front of a train.  Americans need all kinds of
> flashing lights and gates to warn them and even
> that doesn't work all the time.
>
> Stan Praisewater

Hi Stan, You are correct in Mexico you expected to have basic common sense vs having a  sign, rule or law here for every little thing. Personable accountability is big thing there.
 

BCHellman Wrote:
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> 22. Mexico is the only Latin American country that
> I know that uses the word Alto for stop signs.
> Peru and Colombia use Pare, from the verb parar,
> to stop. I've never gotten an answer as to why
> Alto, because alto means high or tall (like a
> mountain). I've long surmised that it stems from
> when police officers manned busy city corners and
> raised their hand high in the air to indicate
> Stop. Just a semi-educated guess.

The word ALTO as an ADJECTIVE (description) means tall.

The word ALTO as a noun or verb (action or directive) means STOP, HALT, STANDSTILL

Also, it seems that ALTO is taken as more of a HARD COMMAND, while PARE is a more formal subjunctive and polite way to tell someone to stop.

Great effort and results. Thanks for the post. Bill Webb