Living in the Dallas area I read the South Orient article that was in Sunday’s paper with great interest. Yes, there are a few (or many) technical errors, but looking over the glaring errors the article points out that a good effort is being made to rehab and operate the line. This will increase the tax base and employment in the area. Forget the comments about the government picking up a lot of the tab. Name a transit mode that the government does not contribute heavily to. The feds pay 90% of the interstate costs. The feds built the locks and dams on our rivers and dredge when needed to permit navigation. Who staffs the control towers and security check points at airports? Who bailed out the airlines after 9-11 with massive loans. You guessed it-the Feds. The railroads have got the very short end of a big federal stick when it comes to capital help. It is time that the railroads get their fair share. True the feds do contribute to the building of our commuter and light rail systems, but minimal has been given to the Class 1s who provide the backbone to our bulk cargo shipping.
Two things:
- The reporter is a she, not a he, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but given that the tran
They must see something in the South Orient route for them to spend so much on infrastructure upgrades and repairs.
Hopefully the powers that be will at least attempt to make a serious effort at making this route a success.
Time will tell…
What is the rail distance from Presidio to the Gulf of California? How does that compare with the rail distance from West Texas to LA?
Thats is a very good question futuremodal…
Perhaps someone participating on the forum can share that answer.
Raw distance isn’t the issue, guys and gals. It’s (1) topography and inaccessibility-- Ferromex has lots of it, the Sunset route doesn’t, (2) infrastructure, rail and port–Ferromex doesn’t have it, the Sunset route (despite UP’s problems) does, and (3) a border (with all the ramifications)–Ferromex has it, the Sunset Route doesn’t.
Makes it very hard to get from A to B profitably. Possible, but very hard.
They are just about ready for the start-up of service to Presidio.
Check out this article:
http://www.alpineavalanche.com/articles/2005/01/06/news/news01.txt
Set and ready to go…Get your cameras ready!!! [8D]
http://www.gosanangelo.com/sast/news_local/article/0,1897,SAST_4956_3457461,00.html
The first run-through test train from Mexico is underway!!!
Check out the story. Registration required (it’s free), but its a pretty interesting read nevertheless:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/031605dnbussouthorient.d9e63.html
You sound very happy over this! [:p][:p]
Its great anytime a line is saved from the brink of abandonment!!! [;)]
Not necessarily true. It appears that based on prior postings on this thread that the South Orient has little economic justification for its continued existence.
So that would explain why the State of Texas invested to date over 7 million dollars toward the restoration of this line and gave FerroMex a 40 year operating lease to operate trains as “Texas Pacifico”???
It may also interest you to know that Union Pacific now recognized the border crossing at Presidio as one one of its gateway entrance points. You can see this on their latest maps.
So I believe there is new life breathed back into this line
More news on the runs of the cross-border test train…in case any of you can get out to see it:
http://www.dmtimes.net/blog/News/_archives/2005/3/17/442662.html
Thanks Murray for keeping us updated on this. I was through Ft Stockton 3/15 and saw the new ballast but no trains yet.
dd
ps - the crossing at Larado TX is nearly at capacity so UP is looking to Presidio for some relief. The KCS purchase of their Mexican partner will also add capacity issues to Larado.
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QUOTE: Originally posted by Murray
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Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH
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Originally posted by Murray
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Originally posted by spbed
You sound very happy over this! [:p][:p]
Any time the state is involved, politicians are involved. Any time politicians are involved, logic or economic justification or anything else involving rational thought go out the window.
Well time will tell…
I tend to think that this operation will work…if for no other reason if helps to ease the border capacity issues at El Paso and Laredo.
And as was mentioned earlier by dldance, with Union Pacific’s interest in the border crossing at Presidio, this should further enhance the value of the former South Orient line to help allieviate border traffic issues.
KC, Mexican officials will set up trade corridor
Officials from Kansas City and the Mexican city of Lazaro Cardenas will sign an agreement Mar22 to establish a new trans-Pacific trade corridor and establi***he Kansas City area as an inland port.
The creation of the trade corridor also is designed to alleviate delays and congestion at West Coast ports.
A signing ceremony is scheduled for 18:00 Mar22 at Cathedral Square, 427 W. 12th St.
“This signing is an exciting and historic moment for the international trade in the Kansas City region,” Kansas City SmartPort President Chris Gutierrez said in a written release.
SmartPort was formed to establi***he region as an inland trade processing center.
“The partnership with Lazaro Cardenas puts Kansas City in a pivotal position to become the Pacific port’s primary U.S. inland port and puts Kansas City another step ahead of our competition for economic growth and job creation,” Gutierrez said.
Kansas City has won approval to be the site of the Mexican government’s first foreign customs clearance facilities sometime this year.
In addition, Kansas City recently signed an agreement with the Mexican port city of Manzanillo, the second-largest container port in Mexico.
Lazaro Cardenas handles fewer containers, Gutierrez said, but the new agreement is key because it has a lot of room for port expansion and is served by the Mexican railroad, TFM, that Kansas City Southern is buying.
A delegation of seven Mexican officials including Eloy Vargas Arreola, secretary of economic development for the state of Michoacan, will be in Kansas City for the signing ceremony.
"In terms of opening the Midwest to Asian trade through Mexican ports, this agreement signifies substantial completion of the extensive efforts over the past several years devoted to establishing the political, economic and cultural foundation enabling this trade route to wo
South Texas railroad in tests
The long dormant South Orient Railroad is making its first test run across the U.S.-Mexico border, and the first trains are expected to arrive in Fort Worth by the middle of next week, railroad executives said Tuesday.
The railroad, which crosses the border at Presidio, is seeking to provide an alternative to shippers struggling with congestion at rail crossings in El Paso and Laredo.
Officials also hope it will pump new economic life into struggling West Texas towns along its 382-mile route.
The test run started from Torreon in north central Mexico on Monday night and involves 29 rail cars, including four that are carrying calcium carbonate for Dallas-based Texas Industries Inc., said Richard Lesikar, vice president of business development for the Fort Worth & Western Railroad.
“It’s a big, big deal,” he said, noting that many potential shippers are waiting to see how the test runs fare before making a commitment.
The South Orient cuts across 11 West Texas counties, connecting with the Fort Worth & Western at San Angelo Junction and with the Mexican railroad Ferromex at Presidio.
Grupo Mexico, the Mexican mining giant, is leasing the South Orient rail line from the state of Texas. The South Orient hasn’t offered regular service for more than six years.
Grupo Mexico is spending millions to repair the track. Rail cars can now travel at an average speed of 25 miles per hour for 154 miles, but must slow down to speeds of 10 miles per hour the rest of the track, said Roy Williams, chief operating officer of Texas Pacifico Transportation Ltd., which operates the South Orient.
To support the railroad’s customers, the Fort Worth & Western aims to work with developers in Cleburne, Fort Worth and other cities to develop industrial parks, foreign trade zones, enterprise zones and an intermodal facility, Mr. Lesikar said. - Katherine Yung, The Dallas Morning News, courtes