International Railroad Discussion > Mexico - Puebla Area [20-Mar-2024] - Mountain Tunnel #4

Was very fortunate to have some daylight chasing time available to get out deep into the Puebla/Veracruz Mountain Area - as I wanted to check out the summit Tunnel #4 - and was lucky to catch an EB soon after arrival.

The tunnel reflects rolling doors - but the Tunnel is just under 2 miles long - so ventinlating the tunnel would not be required (and they did not close after the EB passed) - so maybe doors to keep people out?!

Also - there was a ANDON lighting system on the side of the Tunnel Building - which I thought was installed just for railfans - because if it had worked - it was a good indication of traffic on the mountain.

I don't think Mexico gets appropriate credit for it's mountain RR engineering - as these mountains are pretty brutal - and there are so many scenic spots - but unfortunately once the line crosses the mountain into Veracruz - my local co-workers told me NOT to chase on that side of the mountain.

And, like on Monday - where I caught the x-CSX running in Mexico - caught FEC power on the EB consist.......FEC 803 (and technically FEC is owned by Grupo México - soooo it can run anywhere on their network) - just pretty far from JAX down here.

1.   FEC 803 Trailing - EB - Chapulco, Puebla - Tunnel 4 - 20-Mar-2024
2.   FSRR 4437 on the head-end of an EB - Chapulco, Puebla - Tunnel 4 - 20-Mar-2024.    Looks like a SP locomotive from the 90s.
3.   FSRR 4709 Trailing - EB - Chapulco, Puebla - Tunnel 4 - 20-Mar-2024
 

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4.   Tunnel #4 - West Portal.
5.   Train Alert Signals (not operational).

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Very good pictures. Interesting they use steel gates in the tunnel. Here in Brazil we have a few tunnels that use wooden gates, because in the case of failure in the system that moves the gates,  the train can break them easily.
Since we started to use the GE C44's and AC44's the gates were removed or locked in the openned position.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/24 19:23 by pedrop.

Very interesting series!!

Larry

Great to get more pics and info about the railways in Mexico!

I'm curious about signalling/CTC/etc. There seem to be few lineside signals, but CBTC also isn't used to my knowledge. How are trains dispatched usually?

> unfortunately once the line crosses the mountain into Veracruz - my local co-workers told me NOT to chase on that side of the mountain

Cartel activity or just generally a rough area? Glad you're being cautious.

Your admiration for the Civil Engineering should be credited to A.M.Wellington, author of The Economic Theory of Railway Location.
He is cited as being (among other roles) as the Principal Assistant Engineer for locaion and surveys of the Mexican National Railway in the late 1880s.
The Vera Cruz line is mentioned specificaly in his credits.
His book (1887) is still a useful reference for planning and designing railroads; they have to make economic sense.

zorz Wrote:
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> I'm curious about signalling/CTC/etc. There seem
> to be few lineside signals, but CBTC also isn't
> used to my knowledge. How are trains dispatched
> usually?

No CBTC. Just CTC on a few lines, but most lines, including these are Track Warrant Control on Dark Territory.