Ferrocarriles Chiapas-Mayab

Genesee & Wyoming ceases operations and pulled out of it's southern Mexican concession. That's two operators out in Central America this year. Mexico says it hopes the railway will be running again under another operator by mid-2008.

U.S. - "Low Bid"
Banana Republics - "High Bribe".

This wikipedia entry may explain why , its not clear if the railroad has operated since the hurricane .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocarri ... apas-Mayab

David Benton wrote:This wikipedia entry may explain why, its not clear if the railroad has operated since the hurricane.

Two routes- one to Yucatan and the other down the west coast to Guatemala. With a trackage right connection across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. I believe the second was out of service.

The point of contention seemed to be how much Mexico would put up for the repairs. It's a marginal operation (and operator). Most likely the Mexican gov. got tired of throwing money down a hole.

Though there is an engineering feasibility study due next year for a railway to Panama. IF (BIG IF) there is financing a small concessionaire like G&W would get moved aside for a larger operator.

Personally , i cant see that Railway to Panama ever been built . Too many countries need to agree , and all are easily connected by sea anyway . I Cant really see any major traffic source .

David Benton wrote:Personally , i cant see that Railway to Panama ever been built . Too many countries need to agree , and all are easily connected by sea anyway . I Cant really see any major traffic source .

If they could get right through to Colombia there might be some cocaine shipments, but Colombia doesn't have a rail system. So, this needs to be a major international rail project to connect at least as far as Venezuela (but that is blocked by the various neuroses between the US and Chavez).

speaking of cocaine , i once found myself on a train full of coca leaves smugglers !
This was the train from the Bolivian border , into Argentina . Passengers were openly unscrewing the backs of seats , and stuffing the leaves down the back . one young lady asked if it was alright to leave her bag sitting beside me , no its not i replied .
Somebody explained to me that it was mainly people taking the leave back to Argentina for their grandparents to chew , as they were no longer able to obtain it legally in argentina .
the leaf has some health benefits , unlike cocaine .

george matthews wrote:If they could get right through to Colombia there might be some cocaine shipments, but Colombia doesn't have a rail system. So, this needs to be a major international rail project to connect at least as far as Venezuela (but that is blocked by the various neuroses between the US and Chavez).

Colombia is hauling coal by rail for export to the US and EU. The limiting factor is currently port capacity and building out some additional port and rail combinations is being discussed.

Given the road gap is only 60 miles it's safe to say neither the US or Panama is interested in bridging the Darien Gap with road or rail. It serves as a strategic firebreak for the canal.

Colombia actually does have a railroad system, though it is abandoned I believe. It's a pretty decent network for the country. Also, a rail line to Panama is certainly possible and is almost actually done, albeit, in a very roundabout way. The hard part will be reaching Panama City or Colon.

islandtransit wrote:Colombia actually does have a railroad system, though it is abandoned I believe. It's a pretty decent network for the country. Also, a rail line to Panama is certainly possible and is almost actually done, albeit, in a very roundabout way. The hard part will be reaching Panama City or Colon.

Colombia had a rail system, but it was either two or three foot gauge. These are hardly suitable for modern transport. In Britain and Itreland they were originally used for short distance lines in rural areas at the turn of the last century. A few three foot lines operate as tourist steam railways in Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is clear from Theroux's account of travelling in Colombia in the 1970s that the trains were quaint but hardly serious transport.

There may be one surviving line carrying coal. There may also be a sort of tourist line in Bogota - not on the face of it an attractive city for tourists.

So, a line through the Isthmus comes up against the problem that whereas it looks nice to have a connection between North and South America via Standard gauge rail there is nothing to connect to south of the Isthmus. It seems unlikely that Colombia in a chronic state of civil war for fifty years at least can ever get itself together to build a standard gauge network. Venezuela might build a few lines but they are more likely to be high speed passenger lines with no freight - Venezuela has oil money and can spend it on whatever whim the president likes.

george matthews wrote:

islandtransit wrote:Colombia actually does have a railroad system, though it is abandoned I believe. It's a pretty decent network for the country. Also, a rail line to Panama is certainly possible and is almost actually done, albeit, in a very roundabout way. The hard part will be reaching Panama City or Colon.

Colombia had a rail system, but it was either two or three foot gauge. These are hardly suitable for modern transport. In Britain and Ireland these gauges were originally used for short distance lines in rural areas at the turn of the last century. A few three foot lines operate as tourist steam railways in Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is clear from Theroux's account of travelling in Colombia in the 1970s that the trains were quaint but hardly serious transport.

There may be one surviving line carrying coal. There may also be a sort of tourist line in Bogota - not on the face of it an attractive city for tourists.

So, a line through the Isthmus comes up against the problem that whereas it looks nice to have a connection between North and South America via Standard gauge rail there is nothing to connect to south of the Isthmus. It seems unlikely that Colombia, in a chronic state of civil war for fifty years at least, can ever get itself together to build a standard gauge network. Venezuela might build a few lines but they are more likely to be high speed passenger lines with no freight - Venezuela has oil money and can spend it on whatever whim the president likes.