Ferrocarril Suburbano de la Zona Metropolitana de México

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The Ferrocarril Suburbano de la Zona Metropolitana de México (Suburban Railway of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area) is an electric regional rail system that will start regular operations in April 2008 in Mexico City. It is also known as Valley of Mexico Suburban Rail System and colloquially referred to as El Tren Suburbano.

The initial section is currently being built for a distance of 27 kilometers from Mexico City's Buenavista Station north to Cuautitlán and Huehuetoca, in the Estado de México. This first section will cost 6.7 billion pesos (approx US$600 million) and is projected to carry 100 million passengers annually ^[1]. The fare for passage over the entire length will be 9.49 pesos, approximately 95 US cents, trains will be scheduled every 6 minutes during peak hours. The trains on order are similar to the series 2000 trains of the Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos of São Paulo,Brazil ^[2].

Authorities hope to extend the system as far as it is practical to do so (the current long range plan is for 242 kilometers of lines ^[3]), in order to reduce Mexico City's heavy road traffic congestion and air pollution. In most cases the system will follow existing rail lines, however inside Mexico City itself on the approach to Buenavista, a considerable amount of beneath-grade excavation has been done, and road bridges built over the right of way. In some cases there have been complaints by Mexico City residents who object to having their neighborhoods split by the rail line, but overall the public has supported the project.

On August 24, 2005, CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.) obtained a 30 year concession to supply rolling stock, build and operate the Tren Suburbano^[4].

Spokesmen for Mexico's federal transport authority (SCT) have said the section of the Tren Suburbano currently under construction should be finished in mid 2007, and open for operation by the end of 2007. In December 2006, SCT announced that approval has been given for the 19.3 km System 2, extending to Jardines de Morelos and Martín Carrera, and System 3 of an additional 12.8 km to Chalco and La Paz. ^[5]. ^{[6] [7] [8]}.

[edit] See also

• List of suburban and commuter rail systems
• List of Mexican railroads
• Commuter rail in North America
• Metro Buenavista
• Rail transport in Mexico
• Ferrovalle

[edit] External links

• Ferrocarril Suburbano - Official Site
• See definition on Ferropedia
• Renderings of railroad cars
• Official SCT video and details of the Ferrocarril Suburbano, in Spanish
• MEXLIST, the group for Mexican railway information

[edit] References