Mexico, April 7 (IPS) -Red retired blacksmiths and mechanical José Hernández once recalls passenger trains passing through Huamantla, their hometown in Tlaxcala, southeastern Mexico.
“At the age of 15 or 16, I was already using a train. The railway from Veracruz passed near Huamantla, and the 99 -year -old local chronology called IPS from more than 98,000 residents.
The route belonged to the ferrocarril mexicano of the ownership at the time, and was inaugurated in the mid -19th century, and was operated until 1976 when the passenger train began to be abandoned in favor of a private bus company.
The cargo train still passes Huamantla and carries wood, oil and various products as containers.
Hernández, who worked as a Huamantla market from 1989 to 1991, was used to travel to a nearby village in nearby apizaco and Tlaxcala. Tickets for Mexico City on a coal combustion locomotive in TLAXCALA cost about $ 3 in today’s money.
“We miss the passenger service. We hopefully, we will come back soon. Everything in Huamantla is now abandoned. The train was used to stop here to load water from a deep well.”
Since October, the Claudia sheinbaum government has been promoting a new railway project to diversify passenger transportation since October. But this plan is faced with serious challenges, including profitability and environmental impact.
The first initiative is based on an old rail bed with a 55 kilometer line between Mexico City and Hidalgo’s Pachuca. Construction started on March 22 without environmental approval (legal requirements), and the Ministry of Environment granted permission six days later, but began.
The new passengers and cargo ships are in the initial cost of $ 24.4 billion and are expected to open in the first half of 2027, and will cross four local governments in Hidalgo and in Mexico’s neighboring states.
The second project is a 227km line between Mexico City and Querétaro, with a preliminary cost of about $ 7 billion passing through four to 22 local governments. Construction is scheduled to start this April.
Both projects are part of the national railway development plan, national industrialization and sharing prosperity strategy ( Plan México) In January, sheinbaum has been launched as a flagship development program and includes investment in electric, electric vehicle assembly and microprocessor.
Sheinbaum’s executive duplicate the fast track approach used in Maya Train (TM), followed by the entire weight of the periodic instrument.
Railroads are less polluted than air, sea or road transportation, but steel and cement required for infrastructure limit eco -friendly images.
The Mexican government is also preparing for bidding for railroad routes with Nuevo Lardo (Nuevo Lardo, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas) and Querétaro (Querétaro and Guanajuel).
The new line, which is expected to begin operations between 2027 and 2028, will participate in seven existing passenger routes, including suburbs and tourism railways.
From January to October 2024, the railroad grew up to 4,222 million passengers, up 11% from the same period in 2023. Most (90%) were suburban passengers, which emphasized the necessity and expansion of Intercity Rail.
Environmental paradox
JAIME paredesIs the National Autonomous University of Mexico School of Engineering emphasizes the necessity of clear definition of efficiency? Reduction of emissions -gas and travel time created by human activities in charge of global warming.
“This is a good tool, but we need to evaluate the noise pollution, the impact and economic factors of the aqualifiers. It is not profitable, but it is a social project. It is important to combine commercial and economic factors to reduce government subsidies.”
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) submitted to the Ministry of Environment suggests that the PACHUCA line will reduce its influence over Querétaro.
The PACHUCA line has 11 negative and seven beneficial environmental impacts beyond seven areas of very low ecosystems and seven areas due to agricultural and human communities. Soil and water pollution are major concerns, and six protection species have been identified in this area.
However, the querétaro line interceps 12 very low 12 and 30 low ecosystems and affects seven protected natural areas, including the Tula National Park of Hidalgo, Wetlands of Querétaro and Xochimilco.
Architecture will remove vegetation over 90 hectares (5 forests, 0.62 of low jungles). The EIA has found 63 threatened plant species and 136 animal groups. The danger includes the interruption of Suwon, three floods, land beds, air pollution and ecological sculptures. We also predict socio -economic benefits, such as job creation and more powerful economies.
Overall, the Querétaro line has 28 environmental impacts (21 minus, 7 positive). The government assumes that socioeconomic benefits will surpass environmental costs and propose preventive, relief and compensation measures.
Pachuca trains become electricity, but querétaro ‘S uses both electricity and diesel. The main disadvantage is that Mexico’s electricity is mainly originated from fossil fuels (especially gas), limiting the reduction of emissions.
The co -pachuca line? The exhaust gas is not estimated, and Querétaro’s S releases 37 tons of each month.
Precedent
In the past, passenger railway projects provide classes.
Western Mexico City Toluca ( El insurgente) Since it has been under construction since 2014 and has been partially operated since 2023, the budget balloon has been $ 28.6 billion to $ 68.5 billion to $ 68.5 billion.
According to a 2024 report, Maya Train (TM), a tourist destination than local passengers, did not run a bus trip.
TM has been operated in five southern and southeastern states since 2023, and five of the five planned sections have been operated since 2023, which faced delay, excess and excess and violations of the environment.
Other indicators raise concerns. The CO2 emissions of the Mexican railway system (cargo and passengers) are increasing. Diesel consumption was almost tripled in 2021 to late 2023. The emissions generated from suburban trains (northern Mexico and Mexico) have increased despite the low use of electricity since 2021.
Rail Expert Paredes recommends update in 1995 Railway Service Regulatory Act “Make sure the concessions and the assignee share their responsibilities.”
“The user must be part of the comprehensive review. A clear parameter and indicators are needed to evaluate the decrease in environmental impacts. The transparency of the results will provide certainty. Community and local governments must be integrated into the plan.”
On the other hand, chronicles Hernández hopes to promote the trains by crossing the Mexican landscape.
“To attract people, you need a powerful campaign. The train can be as popular as it used to be,” he said.
© Inter Press Service (2025) -Lee all rights. Source: Inter Press Service
