Mexican government Monday announced plans to railways, roads, telecommunications and port project investment of about $ 10 billion over the next five years, including Mexico's first high-speed rail link.
In the project, there are four airports, seaports and highways around 7 3,350 miles (5,410 kilometers) modernization. The Government will strengthen the fiber-optic network to expand broadband Internet access, speed freight train services.
Transportation Secretary Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said: "Mexico is the largest in Latin America logistics platform." "We must create a significant savings of time and cost of goods transportation."
But in announcing the plan, the U.S. president Enrique Pena Nieto stressed restore passenger train in Mexico goal.
For over a century, Mexico rely on the railway transport of goods and passengers, and even fought with the rebels 1910-1917 revolution from the train. However, Mexico gave up all regular passenger trains more than ten years ago, because of poor quality of service, is rarely used. Existing production lines moving freight, considered a priority, only a few short stay tourist train route.
Pena Nieto said on Monday, about 360 miles (583 kilometers) high-speed rail connections, including Mexico City and the nearby city of Toluca and Queretaro link between will be built.
Another line will pass through the Yucatan Peninsula. Although the details have not been announced, but is expected to link the Caribbean coast resort of Cancun and the colonial city of Merida, Yucatan.
"No one can doubt that translate into more competitiveness and productivity, which will ignite economic growth and social well-being, Pena Nieto said:" The better infrastructure. "These investments will translate into work."
While high-speed trains have become popular in Asia and parts of Europe, how good it will work in Mexico, where the mountainous terrain and unique infrastructure problems exist, remains to be seen. For example, often squatter shack railway rights of way in Mexico and most of the existing railway line has street-level crossings, which would be extremely dangerous high-speed trains flying.
Construction of a new production line will be expensive, in this condition, it will attract passengers willing to pay higher fares, high-speed trains.
Mexico does not have the characteristics of high-speed trains, "Jorge Fernández Acosta said architecture professor, specializing in urban design and traffic problems." "Our terrain is mountainous, very extreme."
Acosta Fernandez said he prefers Pena Nieto in Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, to build urban rail transit project proposal, but noted, "Even so, it will not be a complete solution program, "the traffic jam of the metropolis.
Pena Nieto will also have to reverse the poor reputation, built on state-owned train their final years in the service was canceled in 1999. Often inexplicably stopped hour train broke down, air conditioning, car moving at a snail's pace, and sometimes it takes several days to reach their destination.
But GAO Cong Bay, railway projects at the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign professor pointed out that "each country through," compelling modern high-speed train passengers do not like their older versions.
"Each country has established a first high-speed line, the establishment of a second," the test, and said: "In the world, people are building like crazy."
He pointed out that the key is to find a suitable length routes - from 60 to 600 miles (100 and 1000 km) - and competitive enough to make the train passenger demand.
 



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