Ferromex (

syllabic abbreviation An abbreviation (from Latin ''brevis'', meaning ''short'') is a shortened form of a word or phrase, by any method. It may consist of a group of letters or words taken from the full version of the word or phrase; for example, the word ''abbrevia ...

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 America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n Class I railroads.

Description

Ferromex began operating on February 19, 1998, following the privatization of most of the government-owned railways by then President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. Ferromex operates more than of track and interconnects five major inland Mexican cities, five cities along the border with the United States, four seaports on the Pacific Ocean, and one more on the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, Grupo México owns 74% and Union Pacific Corporation owns 26% of the company. The Ferromex system operates 9,610 km of Ferromex tracks plus of Ferrosur tracks.

Passenger services

Ferromex hosts the Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico "ChePe" railroad, a tourist line that runs through the Copper Canyon. Ferromex also operates the Tequila Express, which runs from

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...

to a tequila distillery in Amatitán.

Merger with Ferrosur

In November 2005, Grupo México, owner of Ferromex, purchased Infraestructura y Transportes Ferroviarios, the parent company of Ferrosur, another of Mexico's Class I railroads, in a stock transaction. The Mexican Federal Competition Commission (CFC) had rejected a proposed 2002 merger of Ferromex and Ferrosur amid opposition from Ferromex competitor Grupo Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM). Following the November 2005 purchase of Ferrosur by Grupo México, Kansas City Southern de México (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 railway industry to the detriment of consumers and competing shippers. However, in March 2011, a tribunal ruled in Grupo México's favor, and the merger was permitted.

Rolling stock

In January 2011, Ferromex ordered 44 new SD70ACe locomotives from EMD, its first order since 2006.

Other

Grupo Mexico Transportes, with Fundacion Grupo México, operates Dr. Vagon, a hospital train that offers free, complete healthcare for hard to reach communities in Mexico.

References

External links

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MEXLIST - The group for Mexican railway information
Railway companies of Mexico Railway companies established in 1998 Privatized companies in Mexico Standard gauge railways in Mexico Mexican brands Mexican companies established in 1998 {{Mexico-rail-transport-stub