International Railroad Discussion > Mexico: Mazatlan rails

I have been frustrated on several visits to Mazatlan over the years to have never seen a train. Inspired by these two discussion threads I made another effort last week.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?6,3475974

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?6,3477323

Asking around I learned that there are about 5-6 trains per day, including "The Beast", a northern version of the freight train on which hundreds of would be migrants to the USA ride sitting on the roofs of freight cars. Despite hanging round the tracks for several hours I never saw a train. However, I did manage a (poor) shot of cars being switched in the yard.

The rails just north of Mazatlan look in great shape. In the second photo note the lights of the switcher in the distance taken from the south. The third photo is my one shot of a moving train taken from the bridge at the south end of the Mazatlan yard.

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With the discussion of Mexico's engineering abilities ( http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?6,3481198 )it is worth noting the country's evident skills in the audaciously constructed Mazatlan-Durango toll road which opened a year of so ago. It's the type of infrastructure development which I cannot happening in the USA in today's dysfunctional political climate.

First photo shows a typical stretch of road with various tunnels and bridges.
The second photo shows the red line drivers of runaway trucks are to follow to the safety ramp. The sign disconcertingly reads "GIVE WAY TO VEHICLES WITHOUT BRAKES".
The third photo shows the 4 lane Baluarte Bridge. At 1,335 feet above the river below it's the highest suspension bridge in the world.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/14 16:13 by mukinduri.

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mukinduri Wrote:
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> > The third photo shows the 4 lane Baluarte Bridge.
> At 1,335 feet above the river below it's the
> highest suspension bridge in the world.


That is a cable-stayed bridge: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable-stayed_bridge

At one time there was talk of extending what was then NdeM's line between Durango and El Salto down into Mazatlan.

THAT would have been interesting.

Most transportation expansion projects these days involve highways over railroads. Indeed, there are quite a few countries where the rail system has been allowed to disappear in favor of improved highways.

The highway looks almost European - I wonder if a European engineering company was involved?

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

john1082 Wrote:
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> The highway looks almost European - I wonder if a
> European engineering company was involved?


Most Mexican highways are based on the EU's plans.

Very high quality toll roads from Valparaiso to Santiago, Chile and Santos to Sao Paulo Brazil look like they could/should be in Europe too.
I am afraid that the USA is quite blind to the fact we are on the trailing edge of many aspects of infrastructure including the willingness to invest and the contemporary standards you have shown us.
Thanks for posting: it is relevant to railroads as an indication of the competition from highways.

Aren't most of those places also very 'socialist' and the government does as they wish with most of your money ?