The Ferrocarril del Sureste , commonly known as Ferrosur, is a
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
that serves the southeastern regions of
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The company was formed in 1998 following the privatization of Mexico's railways. Ferrosur took over the southeast concession. This includes the line between
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
and Mexico's busiest
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
/
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
port at
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
.
Grupo México
Grupo México is a Mexican conglomerate that operates through the following divisions: Mining (Minera Mexico), Transportation ( GMxT), Infrastructure and Fundacion Grupo Mexico.
Its mining Division is the leading Copper producer in Mexico and t ...
has owned the company since 2005; there are long-delayed plans to merge it with
Ferromex
Ferromex ( syllabic abbreviation of Ferrocarril Mexicano or "Mexican Railway") is a private rail consortium that operates the largest (by mileage) railway in Mexico with combined mileage (Ferromex + Ferrosur) of and is part of the North Americ ...
.
History
Ferrosur began operation on December 18, 1998. The original ownership group was the construction company
Tribasa and
Grupo Financiero Inbursa.
Grupo Carso
Grupo Carso is a Mexican global Conglomerate (company), conglomerate company owned by Carlos Slim. It was formed in 1990 after the merger of Corporación Industrial Carso and Grupo Inbursa. The name Carso stands for Carlos Slim and Soumaya Domit ...
(like Inbursa, a
Carlos Slim Helu company) bought out Tribasa in 1999. Grupo México, owner of
Ferromex
Ferromex ( syllabic abbreviation of Ferrocarril Mexicano or "Mexican Railway") is a private rail consortium that operates the largest (by mileage) railway in Mexico with combined mileage (Ferromex + Ferrosur) of and is part of the North Americ ...
, acquired the railroad in November 2005 in a US$309 million stock transaction. The Mexican Federal Competition Commission (CFC) had rejected a proposed 2002 merger of Ferromex and Ferrosur amid opposition from
Grupo Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM).
Following the November 2005 purchase of Ferrosur by Grupo México,
Kansas City Southern de México
Kansas City Southern de México (KCSM), formerly Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM), is a company dedicated to freight transportation using rail in the northeastern part of Mexico. KCSM is fully owned and operated by Kansas City Southern ...
(KCSM), successor to TFM, petitioned the Mexican government to block the merger of Ferrosur and Ferromex. The CFC rejected the merger in June 2006 stating that the merger would have led to excessive concentration in the railroad industry to the detriment of consumers and competing shippers. However, in March 2011, a tribunal ruled in Grupo Mexico's favor, and the merger was permitted. Grupo México continues to operate the two railways independently.
File:FSRR FNM 04.jpg, "La Soledad" Bridge (February 23, 1909)
File:Ferrosur SD70ACe.png, Ferrosur EMD SD70ACe
The EMD SD70 is a series of diesel-electric locomotives produced by the US company Electro-Motive Diesel in response to the GE Dash 9-44CW. Production commenced in late 1992 and since then over 5,700 units have been produced; most of these are th ...
locomotive 4124, equipped with experimental sheet-metal awnings over the radiator air intakes
File:FSRR FBQ 01.jpg, MV Bali Sea
The MV Bali Sea was a ro-ro rail ferry, previously a heavy lift ship. It started its life recovering ships and moving oil platforms, undergoing several name changes in the process. It became a rail ferry in 2000, shipping trains across the Gulf o ...
rail ferry
A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ...
transferring rail cars in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz
Coatzacoalcos () is a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, mostly on the western side of the Coatzacoalcos River estuary, on the Bay of Campeche, on the southern Gulf of Mexico coast. The city serves as the municip ...
Territory
Ferrosur operates the ports of
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
and Coatzacoalcos and the line SC between Veracruz and Mexico City. This line has numerous tunnels east of
Acultzingo
Acultzingo Municipality is a municipality in Veracruz, Mexico. It is located about 220 km from state capital Xalapa to the south-west.
Borders
Acultzingo Municipality is delimited to the east by Soledad Atzompan Municipality, to the south and ...
including the longest in Mexico. Ferrosur road locomotives are often seen coated in soot from passing numerously times through these tunnels.
See also
*
List of Mexican railroads
This is a list of Mexican railroads, common carrier railroads operating as part of rail transport in Mexico.
Passenger rail
Passenger regional rail within urban areas includes:
* Ferrocarril Suburbano de la Zona Metropolitana de México
* STC ...
*
Rail transport in Mexico
Mexico has a freight railway system owned by the national government and operated by various entities under concessions (charters) granted by the national government. The railway system provides freight and passenger service throughout the count ...
*
CG Railway
The CG Railway is a terminal railroad as reported by the Association of American Railroads. The CGR is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama, and is owned and operated by a 50/50 joint venture between SEACOR Holdings and Genesee & Wyoming. The railroa ...
, operates a
train ferry
A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train f ...
connecting Ferrosur at the Port of
Coatzacoalcos
Coatzacoalcos () is a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, mostly on the western side of the Coatzacoalcos River estuary, on the Bay of Campeche, on the southern Gulf of Mexico coast. The city serves as the munic ...
with
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
Notes
References
*
External links
*
MEXLIST - The group for Mexican railway information
{{Mexico-rail-transport-stub
Sureste
Privatized companies in Mexico
Railway companies established in 1998
Standard gauge railways in Mexico