Riding Tren Maya, Mexico’s Controversial New Train
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2024
- On December 15th, 2023, the brand new intercity railway in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula opened. First announced by President Lopez Obrador in 2018, this new railway is now partially open - but it has been anything but smooth. Tren Maya is a source of much controversy, because it neglects and even destroys ancient burial grounds, archaeological sites, the rainforest, and important water sources. Find out what it is like to ride this new train, why some people are happy with it, and why some are not.
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Date of filming: December 21, 2023
Camera: iPhone 14
The Music in this video comes from the UA-cam Audio Library. Specifically, I searched for tracks using the terms: “Maya” and “Yucatán”
Tren Maya tickets: eticket.mx
Timetable: www.elfinanciero.com.mx/nacio...
Sites used for research:
amp.theguardian.com/global-de...
www.midnight-trains.com/post/...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/...
www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-...
www.theyucatantimes.com/2023/...
oceanographicmagazine.com/fea...
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:22 Welcome to Cancun
0:57 Cancun Airport Station
1:34 Tren Maya: the Basics
2:30 Buying tickets
3:36 Alstom X’trapolis
4:06 Boarding the train
6:05 Departing Cancun
7:51 Seat Review and interior tour
9:37 Toilet and Cafe
10:02 Rushed Construction
11:42 Environmental Issues: Rainforest Destruction
13:14 Environmental Issues: Threatened Water
14:00 Cultural Issues: Archaeological Destruction
15:49 Evictions
16:19 Arriving at Mérida
17:27 The Train Departs
18:38 Mérida Teya station
19:56 Electric Buses
20:38 Mérida
22:02 The Return Trip, Final Thoughts - Авто та транспорт
If you can’t disagree with me without calling me vulgar names or threatening violence to me and my family, then I’m not interested in hearing what you have to say. That’s all, merry Christmas.
Already had a highway down there anyway, rail is much better
@@longiusaescius2537 did you even read what I said in the comment?
Sorry for all the bad comments bro, due to the politics associated with this train people will get emotional.
Also Morena (the political party behind this project) is composed by the least educated and most frustrated people of Mexico. It's similar to trump fans in the USA.
I know this hurst because you put a lot of work on the video, please don't take all personal all the stuff they will tell you. They are just ignorant people who feel frustrated of decades of goverment abuse and their last hope failed them so they are on denial.
@@CesarAnton I don’t take it personally, but thanks for the kind words! This is more so a warning
Honestly I agree with you
Lesson learned: people complain when you take too long to build trains, and when you build them too fast
There is no piece of actual infrastructure you can build without having social or environmental impacts so the question should be how much can you limit it and is the outcomes worth the price...
I agree. The positive impacts should outweigh the negatives and those impacted should be consulted.
This is why EIS exists
@@Thom-TRAIn order to conclude if that is the case, there must be an environmental impact research and permit process. Only stating that it is, isn’t enough to establish this. It shouldn’t be a lengthy process though, only one with enough opportunity for people living in the area to object and their problems to the plans be heard, registered and adjusted if granted.
also a question of which groups/communities are burdened with the impacts and which groups/communities would see the benefits. all projects cost financially and environmentally, but ppl are most concerned about which end of the deal they're delt with
But this was declared "national security" project so it could be developed in total opacity and bypassing all laws.
The project would had been great if they had followed law and protocol.
Often a lot of resistance to new rail schemes but none is allowed in the case of road schemes yet roads are much wider and do far more environmental damage due to the space that they take up, street lighting and other such infrastructure.
Exactly. Cars also cause more air and noise pollution, and are a greater danger for local wildlife, but road construction tends to get treated as inevitable.
The other alternative is short-haul flights, which are even worse (cause CO2 emissions). Mexico made the right choice.
Building a new railway line is objectively better for the environment than building a new freeway (or widening an existing one).
As an ex-pat resident of Mexico I have come to understand how difficult completion of major infrastructure projects can be. If not completed within a six year presidential term, they can be killed, derailed, or permanantly abandoned by the next administration. I live in Guadalajara where a third subway line began and then ran out of money in the administration preceding Obredor. His new administration unloaded the project managers who were grifting the project, refunded it with tight fiscal controls and got it done. Not only has Obredor completed Tren Maya, he has completed the coast to coast freight rail line to augment the Panama canal, stopped the exorbitantly corrupt and expensive new Mexico Coty Airport project, and completed a much more cost effective new airport for Mexico City. Not bad for a get it done President: a subway line, a new international airport, and two major train lines.
I can totally understand the time constraints. In the US projects get cancelled by new administrations all the time. Amtrak better spend all their money they got before a Republican enters office again.
AMLO rocks
Also, the new Mexico City airport will have a train connection, possibly two: one to Buenavista station and one to the neighboring city of Pachuca. Buenavista station is already the terminus for the suburban rail and was projected to be the terminus for the México-Querétaro rail back in the last administration, before the project was cut due to corruption and conflict of interest; AMLO has expressed interest in reviving that project by the way (hopefully without the corruption).
Also, Pachuca is the capital of the neighboring state of Hidalgo, which doesn't have an airport, and the state, compared to it's northern and southern neighbors, is underdeveloped, so I hope a train connection to AIFA and CDMX will help bring a bit more growth.
Well done ❤
And brought back La Mexicana airlines
First line train in Mexico since almost last century, we are very proud, train are the only transportation method that I will always support and we need more.
I agree trains are the best transportation
You're missing the Tren Suburbano, even though it's suburban it still is a train
The Interoceanic Corridor, meant for passengers and cargo, also opened today. It goes from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, connecting two ports and lots of towns. It'll eventually connect to the Maya Train.
I heard!
You are a little behind news my friend. The train between the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico was inaugurated in 1908 by the President Porfirio Díaz
@@Thom-TRA At least that project made more sense. The Maya train was a drain on it.
@@ernestoguzman1126That railway was abandoned until now what are you talking about?
@@Crying-Croc
Yes. The Maya train connects not very populated areas and is a bit more expensive than the bus. Even the train going from megacity Mexico to Toluca isn't complete.
Great to see Bear in Latin America! Latin America is often overlooked in the transit community but has just as interesting transit as the rest of the world, like the Mi Teleférico gondola system in La Paz, or Buenos Aires's Subte! Cuba was actually the VERY first country in the Spanish-speaking world to get trains! Yes, even before Spain itself! Cuba's railway history began in October 1834 during the colonial period, when the Queen Regent Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies approved the first line. This was built by the Compañía de Caminos de Hierro de la Habana between Havana and Bejucal at 27.5 km or 17.1 miles in November 1837. Spain wouldn't get trains until 1848 when the first line was built between Barcelona and Mataró.
Cuba even has an interurban, the Hershey Electric Railway, connecting Havana with Matanzas. The railway was built by the Hershey Company to transport sugar from what is now Camilo Cienfuegos, which was formerly called Hershey as Hershey built a town for the workers of the plantations, to the port of Havana. The original electric interurban cars were bought from the JG Brill Company but were replaced in the 1990s by Catalonian ones.
One day I’d like to ride the Hershey railway! I remember learning about it as a kid. I myself have yet to travel to Latin America but I’m strongly considering a trip down to Mexico when more of the network opens.
Mexico is a model to look to when it comes to bus. The rest of America doesn’t get BRT
@@somethingsomething404 Huh? A quarter of the planet's BRT networks are located in the Americas, and the first BRT was in Brazil...
These days the problem of Cuban trains is that (as everything over there) they barely operate if at all. Otherwise I believe that railway has a great potential at Isla Grande.
One of my fave youtube train channels doing a review about the come back of passenger trains in Mexico: APPROVED 👍🏾
So glad to hear you’re a fan!
Can you review the TREN INTEROCEANICO as well?
@@mikeusac maybe someday!
Maya isn't just a language, it's a language family! The most common Mayan language is Yucatec Maya! But as you and Bear saw, their word for train is Tsíimin K'áak. Tsíimin means horse, and K'áak means fire, so literally translated, the train is a fire horse! This tourist intercity train approach reminds me of the LIRR's Montauk Branch. The Montauk Branch provides year-round service for the locals of the South Shore and South Fork, but during the summer, it's pretty much a tourist train for those partying in the Hamptons, visiting the famous Montauk Point Lighthouse, or heading out to Fire Island by ferry. The Cannonball provides express weekend summer service to the Hamptons, originating in 1899.
As you pointed out, the referendum for it back in December 2019 only had two percent of over three million show up to vote as most didn't have the financial means to go vote. Besides voters only being shown the positives, the majority of voters were municipal employees. All of this was criticized by the UN Human Rights High Commissioner's Mexico office. That said, it's amazing that this region of Mexico now has consistent intercity train service. As you brought up, it takes less time than by bus. And like the Montauk Branch, having this revolutionary service benefits both tourists and locals alike, offering locals modern service, job creation, and more economic opportunity, thus improving the quality of life there.
Fire horse! That’s such a cool word
As someone from California and with family from Mexico, the Tren Maya makes me really proud as a Mexican-American. They were able to build this in 5 years! Although not complete but already open, it's not perfect but it's working! Whereas the bullet train from SF to LA has been talked about since 2008, it was supposed to be finished by 2020 and yet the completion date keeps getting pushed back to 2030, then to 2040...
The United States is failing in its infrastructure. I would at least love to see a second BART transbay tube in the Bay Area, sad for the US but amazing for Mexico.
“Not complete” is perhaps the understatement of the year…
@@Thom-TRA possibly the decade...
@@Thom-TRA regarding this video vs CAHSR...
I said to some friends when I shared this video with them yesterday, "here is what happens when you have an alignment of political will with project goals"
IMO, CAHSR is not floundering due to our inability to build infrastructure in the US as many people say, but rather our inability to fund it properly and make it a political and economic priority.
We would have had a fully built system by now if at the time announcement and approval of the ballot for CAHSR in 2008, we also approved state funding, initiation of eminent domain actions, and seeking of federal matching funds...but we didn't...we spent like almost 7-8 years "planning" which is political speak for thinking up how to pay for it without paying for it...
Even now, funding it will save money and time - if we would fund CAHSR properly today, we could still speed it up...commit $70-80B from CA to the project over the next 10 yrs and the project will be completed in that time frame and possibly for less than the current projected 130B pricetag...time itself costs money so shaving 10-20yrs off a project by providing funds would also save us a crap load of money...not sure how much but I would expect the savings to be in the billions if not the 10s of billions...time costs a lot of money
The number one issue with CAHSR is definitely political opposition and general lack of prioritization. That just makes problems pile up.
That’s the reason why this was rushed. Because corrupted PRI and PAN (political parties) would have stop it if they could. They are been put on the light of all the money they stole. So they don’t want any projects from the current party in control to succeed as to not show their incompetence.
I love your brothers style. You can tell you guys were raised right. Props to your parents.
I’ll let them know :)
El Castillo at Chichén Itzá served as a temple to the deity Kukulcán, the Yucatec Maya Feathered Serpent deity. Each side of the temple has 91 steps. Combined with the temple platform as the final step, that's 365 for the Maya Haab' calendar! The temple mimics the chirping sound of the quetzal bird when humans clap their hands around it, research done shows this was on purpose as the builders felt divinely rewarded by the echoing effect of this structure. When the light hits just right with the sun striking off the northwest corner of the temple, it casts a series of triangular shadows against the northwest balustrade, creating the illusion of the feathered serpent crawling down the temple.
Here's some jaguar facts: Jaguar comes from the Tupi-Guarani word yaguara meaning "wild beast that overcomes its prey at a bound". It is the biggest cat species in the Americas and the third largest in the world. Relative to their size, they have the strongest bite of the cat kingdom. While a jaguar’s bite force is only three-quarters as strong as a tiger’s bite force, jaguars have the stronger bites since they are considerably smaller (up to 170 cm long, not including their tails, which can grow up to 80 cm). Jaguars are excellent swimmers. They have adapted to living in wet environments, and hunt aquatic or semi-aquatic creatures like fish, turtles, caimans, and capybaras. They also hunt for deer, birds, opossums, and armadillos.
Another Jaguar fact: I once had a friend who worked at a Jaguar dealership. His nephew’s name is Bentley.
Didn’t think I would see you here my dear leader
You did an amazing job with remaining unbiased throughout the video, giving a detailed explanation of the positives and negatives of this system. Thanks!
I appreciate it! Not everyone agrees…
Wow 😮 por fin el sureste mexicano tendrá trenes de pasajeros algo nunca antes visto esto permitirá el desarrollo y la modernidad de esas zonas turísticas 📈 yo y mi familia estaremos ahí 🚈🚝🚄🚄👏👏👏👏
Great job Bear and yes you add a lot to this channel and always an adverture when your involved
A fascinating trip on a fascinating new train. Great job Bear and Thom!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for this balanced coverage. It´s refreshing to see a broader picture: the costs and benefits of a project like this.
Thom, you really outdid yourself! You even beat Classy Whale to it! At this rate I bet next weeks video is going to be something like the entire Orient Express in the highest class! Seriously, keep up the good videos and I will always keep watching :)
Next week’s video we’re taking the first intergalactic railway from the Milky Way about halfway across the universe. It’s very exclusive, make sure to subscribe!
Jk, thanks for the kind words.
@@Thom-TRA No, thank you for making insightfully good content!
I'm waiting for the full thing to open...and for funds 😂
@@ClassyWhale That last part is way too relatable
@@ClassyWhale got something big planned you need to drop some cash on soon?
I'm more critical of the stations being so far from the cities themselves than anything
It seems gone are the days where you can build brand new infrastructure near actual city centers
The Merida-Valladolid line was originally build in the late 1880's as 3 feet narrow gauge to what became the Undios de Yucatan (UdeY). It was standard gauged in the mid to late 20th century.
Coatzacoalcos-Merida was built in the 40s-50s as a new standard gauge line that connected Nacionales, with UdeY. This line was a brand new railroad: Ferrocarril del Sureste (FdelS).
FdelS merged with UdeY and FUS was created. FUS was absorbed into NdeM in 1984. NdeM became FNM in 1987 and privatized in 1999. The whole FUS was concessioned into FCCM (Genesee & Wyoming shortline).
FCCM abandoned the concession 8 years later after hurricane damage. Government rescue came in. Railroad has been operated by the Feds since.
When Tren Maya took over, many shippers in Merida were disconnected. Tren Maya passenger is the only talk of the town and freight has been a hush subject, even though freight is a big part of the project that is supposed to start next year! They need to reconnect the spurs into the old shippers.
The IE TRAM electric bus was originally the mainline into Valladolid from Merida. It should've been converted into light rail, not that silly BRT!
Valladolid, east is brand new.
A lot had to do is the old ROW has been invaded by horrible urban planning and squatters. So in many cases, bypasses had to be made on city Centers on the route of the old Sureste.
@@wavesnbikes thanks for the great historical context! I agree, LRT > BRT all the way
@@Thom-TRAnonsense, we could build them underground if the support was there for it. People just don’t value downtown like they used to, if everyone hadn’t gotten addicted to cars and suburbs I’m sure we would be building stations downtown. But instead we build stations you need to drive to, and since it’s basically a park and ride we now need a massive parking lot so let’s make it even further away because a corn field is cheaper
@@somethingsomething404 you think you’re disagreeing with me, but you are actually agreeing with me. I am saying there no longer seems to be any support to build things downtown. Then you come in and say “if there was support we could build things downtown.” See what I mean?
Thank you for this awesome video. I really appreaciate all the time and effort you put in the research. Hopefully you can visit the Tren Interoceánico that will connect Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz that are two port cities in the Atlantic & the Pacific Ocean. This aims to compete and complement the Panama Canal. It's a much less controversial train as they had the tracks before but now they have been upgraded. This train will also have an additional line that will connect Coatzacoalcos & Palenque with the Tren Maya. The first line was inaugurated yesterday by president AMLO. Hopefully you can visit this train as well.
I hope to! I like the mix of trains they have there
Great vid, Thom and Bear. I saw a B1M video about the concept ages ago. Great to see it come to fruition!
We're always happy to see a video with Bear! Great editing Thom, and a very fair and well balanced take on the Tren Maya. I was interested to see so many passengers taking photos of the train throughout Bear's journey. Those seats looked really nice even in tourist class.
Bear took a nap in the seats on the way back!
Awesome video. I could not agree with you more, providing a first hand look at a situation is far better then any other alternative. So many videos during the holidays is crazy commitment on your part as well. I hope you and your family all get to take some time off and relax for Christmas and the New Year!
School and work are actually both on a break right now so I find the editing relaxing! Best wishes to you too!
As a California resident I am envious about the fast construction. Our High Speed Rail seems like it may never be operational.
Tell your elected officials to stop messing around and get it done!
@@Thom-TRAthere is due process and politicians can’t simply take over private lands or cut through protected areas without a very lengthy process.…..
I know that guy! I’ve met him. He’s very cool!
You’ve met my brother?
@@Thom-TRA Yes. He appeared in one of my videos even! Rapid route 24.
@@QuarioQuario54321 that’s cool!
Very balanced presentation without pushing one side or the other. Yes, getting the local stakeholders on board from the beginning is always both helpful and respectful.
I’m glad the balance I strived for is resonating
I agree, it was a very balanced video. If you could understand Spanish a bit more you could also notice the political issues related to the project. Some of the are not even about the train but about focusing on a region that was left behind for decades while other parts of the country exploited their resources without giving anything back, for example, the oil. If you go further and hop off in one of those intermediate stops between Mérida and Cancún you will see that there are not so much to do right now since it is expected to develop some businesses related to tourism in the upcoming years taking advantage of the train. There are no jobs, there are very few industries, sometimes there are no well design health facilities, so it is not like the local population were happy living isolated in their own towns, the sometimes suffer from the lack of attention this kind of projects are suppose to give.
Great to see the 21st century in Mexican infrastructure, it’s now close to Europe and North America standards now✌️❤️🇬🇧
This even goes beyond some standards in the US, though the states are playing catch up.
Mexico is in North America :/
What are you talking about? American infrastructure is better than Mexican infrastructure but Mexican trains are better.
North America? Lol a lawn mower with a folding chair taped to it is better than most American rolling stock
@@la76521USA infrastructure is at what D+ rating rn? I’m honestly not sure medicos is worse. They might have less, but it’s better maintained or it’s dirt still
I never knew this had opened, thanks for the video ✌️❤️🇬🇧
You’re welcome! Enjoy the holidays
Excellent video, Thom!! Your nuance and attention to the tense political situation regarding this infrastructure project is appreciated.
Thanks friend! Merry Christmas! This weekend I went to go see the construction on the Red Line
I will admit, as a huge train enthusiast, the controversy over Tren Maya is astounding, but not surprising to hear in all honesty...
I'm a Maryland expat living in Florida. I'm on the Gulf side of Tampa Bay, and there's a new-ish BRT system here, the SunRunner, which goes from downtown St. Petersburg, on the Tampa Bay side of the county, all the way across to the Gulf side beaches. True, it was "simply" a matter of redesigning an existing urban area, but it sure went from the drawing board to revenue service in a HURRY.
And then, of course, there's Brightline.
Contrast that to Maryland Route 200, the Intercounty Connector. That thing went through so many Environmental Impact Statements, and lawsuits, and newly (or is it conveniently?) discovered endangered species, and more lawsuits, and additional Environmental Impact Statements, and and and, that it took over HALF A CENTURY to complete. Meanwhile, traffic on 495 kept on getting worse, while the lawyers kept getting richer.
And do NOT get me started on either the Purple Line, or the Silver Spring Transit Center. Just, don't.
My point is, that there really is such a thing as studying a project to death. If opponents can't get a project officially scrapped, they can delay it forever with endless lawsuits, which can be just as effective.
I'm not unsympathetic to the historic and environmental concerns here. Really, I'm not. But sometimes, "we need more studies" ultimately comes down to being a euphemism for "not in my backyard."
The Maryland way doesn't cut it: been there, seen that. At some point, the engineers have to be able to tell the lawyers to sit down and shut up.
On the other hand, I'm not entirely sure this was the best way to approach a new build of this magnitude, in this location.
Oh I would never advocate to do things the US way. I’m not even from the US, just living here and it frustrates me how they just talk and talk and talk and never actually do.
I’m glad that BRT is done! I vacationed in SPB in 2020 and to get to the city I had to take two separate trolleys and change at “Grand Central”
@@Thom-TRA So that was, what, Suncoast Beach Trolley, and CAT line? Yeah, Sunrunner is a LOT faster. Interfaces with traffic lights, the whole sockarooni.
Grand Central isn't awful, just as long as you can fake looking like a local.
Faking a Florida tan is hard to do!
@@Thom-TRA 😄 Touché!
I'm a Marylander, I haven't done much research but what exactly the controversies around the purple line? I feel like it's a great way for instance to get from a MD red line station to College Park without having to transfer downtown. Very good for commuting!
Controversy aside, I can understand why AMLO rushed the project. In Mexico a president can only serve a single term, and it's rare for a project started under one president to carry over into the administration of the next president. This project would've been backburnered and sat half finished for decades had it been implemented slowly. In Mexico you basically have at most 6 years to complete a major infrastructure project because the next president will halt work on it as a matter of principle, especially if not the same political party as their predecessor.
Appreciate this nuanced, fact-based observation. How interesting that they can only serve one term. What do you think will happen to all the parts of the project that are clearly not finished yet?
@@Thom-TRAyep, they operate only one 1 term because of issues in the past when it comes with reelections, the most infamous one was Porfirio diaz dictatorship where he keep reelecting himself with questionable methods and screwed over people lives until he got forcefully ousted by the Mexican Revolution after 40 years
@@Thom-TRA Well he still has until September before he leaves office and it seems his party is gonna win the next election. The next candidate already said that she will continue to expand the rail network in other parts of Mexico.
Well. It’s probably a net-positive for the region considering how many buses it will remove from roads and how many new jobs this will create. This is the unfortunate reality that all this human activity destroys the jungle, but, frankly, having traveled to Tulum last year, the entire town has grown threefold compared to 10 years ago, so much new construction and traffic. So tren maya didn’t magically create the tourist demand and environmental pressures, it’s trying to “contain” it by providing environmentally-friendly-ish way to travel from one place to another. The only other viable solution is to stop traveling to Yucatan altogether.
You raise a good point. It’s crazy to believe places like Cancun only really have existed since the 60s and 70s.
@@Thom-TRA without a doubt. I feel for the environmentalist and the indigenous communities, but the government has to make tough choices, and the one they made seems to be directed towards better connecting the entire peninsula. Although, as your brother made very clear, it’s one thing to travel to the train station, it’s another to actually get to the city center. They need better local connections as well, but Mexican authorities seem to be determined to make connectivity easier, so we’ll probably see some improvements there as well
Another topic but related to the train it is that a projects like this is much more reliable, cheaper and faster than trucks when talking about sending goods or help when hurricanes or emergencies happens (all those cities and towns will be more exposed to climate change effects in the coming years)
Compared to the alternatives, short-haul flights or highways, a train line is far less damaging to the environment. Well done to Mexico for making the least bad choice.
23:43 He said the thing!!!
Title track mic dropping. 🎤
I flew down there for December 1st but had to come back on the 7th, glad you made it
Great video, enjoyed it very much
That’s a cool looking new train. I haven’t really heard of that many of the trains in Mexico but my dad told me one time that they would build a high speed rail system in Mexico City five years ago which has still been proposed as of last year. I think he showed me a picture of the upcoming plan at the time with the some of the city skyline in the background.
I live in Mexico. Other than Mexico city transit, there is the copper canyon route (which I've done) the jose cuervo express to Tequila (also done) the Transoceanic from Oaxaca to Veracruz/tabasco state and tren maya. The latter two being totally new. I think we will see the beginning now of development Mexico wide of train services. It's a good thing to get traffic off the road and shorten journey times. AMLO is a polarizing figure but he has overseen alot of transformative projects in his tenure.
@@thisweekmetaverse Yeah, that’s very cool and it makes sense. I forgot to mention that my dad would have to occasionally travel to Mexico City for work and wouldn’t normally ride any of the trains there. I’d like to check them out for myself whenever I can, though.
I used Fiesta del Vida as the ending theme for [most of] my videos from when I studied abroad in Madrid in 2022, which covers my first experiences with AVE (was just long, but countryside views were nice), ICE (which sucked in terms of service and just as a day overall), and TGV (why do all French trains look/feel old?)
Well balanced. Thanks for the video
The video I’ve been looking for! Thanks. Very unbiased!
Thank you!
I'm reminded of Taiwan's HSR. I rode it in 2009 and saw most of the intermediate stops were almost out in the countryside. I rode it again two months ago noticing urban development had nicely filled in the station neighborhoods. The THSR station in Taichung even has an elevated metro line connection. This is what could happen in Merida and other locations, good or bad.
Thom, I'm really impressed by this video and your effort to strike a balance. But the delightful surprise was your Spanish pronunciations; no doubt stemming from your time living in Japan.
I tried my best!
I rode Taiwan HSR back in 2012. No subway back then, we had to take the regional train to get to downtown Taichung!
Great to watch this amazing project!
I want to travel in Maya Train!
Happy for all people who will live better now...
Thanks for the video. Excellent report!
Thank you!
Great video, you are undeniably right about every single topic you talk about during your video. Keep up the great work.
Oof, that’s quite a responsibility, to be undeniably right. But I appreciate the support!
I enjoyed that video👍👍
What an accolade Thom to be the first English-speaking YT vlogger. I bet Simply Railways must be pissed off.
Anyone ahead of Geoff Marshall is definitely winning \m/
@@officialmcdeath Too far for Geoff.
Better than freeway
No one is saying it’s not
@@Thom-TRAUnited States media company
No they’re not
0:36 We bare Bear!
9:55 Menu solo en Español. Ayayay!
Are they going to electrify the line? I see what looks like caternary poles.
Yes, a chunk of the network will be electrified. Most trains will be bi-mode.
Interesting video! It sounds like environmental reviews and lawsuits are still going to happen on the line. Considering all the eco-tourism in the area, they would be smart to liberally spread wildlife overpasses/underpasses through the region and embrace other conservation measures, even if it's after the fact.
I hope they do so as well. The Netherlands has good examples of wildlife overpasses, they call them “ecoducts” there.
@@Thom-TRA I will have to look those up. They would probably work well in a lot of places. Thanks!
@@violamateo wow, that's awesome 👍. They should point that out more.
To @lazarjd
As I replied on a comment below:
"When completed, Tren Maya will have 545 animal wildlife crossings, mostly through underpasses, that will match the entire number of animal crossings in the whole country of Mexico. Tv Oax has a video in which an animal overpass is shown being constructed near Carillo Puerto Champoton. It is just as large and well-built as any in Canada or the United States. It even has the fencing to funnel wildlife to it."
For me the main problem is that this was declared a "national security" project by the president so it could be developed in total opacity and bypassing all laws.
The project would had been great if they had followed law and protocol. Also the cost is several times more than was promised.
Also important to note that despite having a modern train price it's just 120kmh (74mph) maximum speed.
Like I said, I 100% support intercity rail for this area.
@@Thom-TRA agreed, polemics aside I'm extremely happy there's new infrastructure on the Mexican southeast
Thanks for the video.
@@CesarAnton Its maximum speed is 160km/h*
@@iandj1622 maybe eventually, right now the top speed and only on some parts it's 120kmh.
160kmh is still too far from the over 300 kmh expected from a modern train. Barcelona is also a new project and runs at 350kmh.
Barcelona high speed rail costed 3.7 billion for 620 km, maya train over 28 billion for 1,550 km. So even adjusted for size the Maya train costed 3 times more for less than half the speed.
The idea was good, the execution was filled with corruption and mostly an excuse to steal money, remember it was done in FULL OPACITY since it was labeled "national security".
Excellent video, I don’t think anyone could have done a better job of presenting a balanced report on this train and its history. Just a few additions: the reason there are so many soldiers around is because López Obrador put the whole thing under the control of the military. Also, if you search Google maps for Tren Maya Estación Teya, the new train station outside Mérida, it still shows a big patch of jungle in the satellite view (which is not up to date). It’s a shame for Bear that the transfer to town took so long. It is a beautiful and friendly and safe city worth staying for a few days or more. I have done almost the whole of what will be the Tren Maya system by car, yes it takes longer but you can see so much more.
Photos I’ve seen of Mérida look beautiful! And thank you for the kind words.
I’ve read that all the revenue from the train goes to the military.
A very good balance has been struck here, well done! Thereapart it's always good to see how members of your family step up to the plate to fulfil the style and brief of your channel. Oh and the Mexican name of this variant of the train sounds rather close to a Korean swearword \m/
I’ll have to brush up on my Korean…
@@Thom-TRA Advanced International Relations FTW \m/
@@officialmcdeath I’m getting my masters in IR!
Excellent work!
Thank you!
Great video my friend thanks for sharing. We spent 2 years liviing in the Yucatán and absolutely loved our time spent there. ❤ Cheers from 2 Canadians 🇨🇦 living in Mexico. 🇲🇽✌️
Glad you enjoyed! Will you be making any trips back to the area soon?
We just moved to Veracruz prob stay here a year or so, then head to Mexico city area. We are working our way to Oaxaca coastline somewhere. After that we will be back on Caribbean side, of course we will be back in the Yucatan we have so many amazing friends in Merida and the beach towns. Realistically it will be a few years though. Unfortunately we can not take the train as we have a small dog that goes everywhere with us. Take care friend God Bless and all the best to you and your family in the New Year.✌🏽💖 @@Thom-TRA
@@2GringosOnTheGulf happy new year! And safe travels
Thanks for the video; I’ve been interested in the project for awhile but it’s sometimes difficult to find good info in English
I ran into the same problem! I spent the better part of 2 days trying to figure out where to buy tickets
Cool video mate, enjoy!
Thanks!
Very accurate about the pros and cons.
Thank you
The people who argue about the train being an ecological threat never mention that the majority of the rails already existed for several decades. In other words, much of the land clearing had been done before work on the Tren Maya project even began. In addition, special passageways for wildlife (545 in all) have been placed at strategic points along the route. There has also been a constant collaboration between the government and the National Institute of Anthropology and History, in terms of preserving any vestiges of the ancient Mayan civilizations that have been unearthed--of which there have been many! Another thing that should be mentioned is that the Tren Maya, while being AMLO's most visible infrastructure project, is really only part of what promises to be the revitalization of train travel in Mexico in general.
The commuter train between Mexico City and neighboring city Toluca (considered a bedroom community by many) is nearly completed. It's currently at 85% and is slated to be fully operational next year. Other routes linking the country's major cities are also in the works. As for the cost inflation, a major contributing factor has been the construction of new housing for people who live alongside the train's route; people who had previously been living in conditions of extreme poverty. The locals enthusiastically support the project because it will create many employment opportunities for them, since new eco-tourist hotels have also been included as complementary elements of the train's stations.
These are good points, but it has to be said that the 545 wildlife crossings have not been built yet.
As someone who has lived in areas where trains were or were becoming a major part of transport, i think the impact to sensitive ecology will remain by far lower than any other option short of beaming. Pollution reduction from the taipei subway was like 30% of the city's total.
Thanks, Thom & Bear, for a great video. Is it my imagination, or was (certainly) the outbound trip moving slower than Metra out of Ogilviethrough the Chicago trainyards?
A new fascinating train for us to hopefully ride someday. It seemed like a fun experience and the workers taking photos and videos was cool to see. Your brother did a great job with his footage.
BTW, isn't every new train controversial at this point? Brightline West, Brighline Florida, Cal High Speed rail, etc.??
Yep. There’s no infrastructure project anywhere that doesn’t cause some sort of destruction. The scale and approach are what matters.
Great video sir.
Appreciate the affirmation. Merry Christmas!
Episode we’ve been waiting for
Hope it was worth it!
Very interesting! I’m getting some Brightline vibes from this train due to the high speed look and modern infrastructure! Not sure if you knew this but Mexico is working with CPKC (and maybe Ferromex) to create more passenger services in the country! They’ve got some interesting pieces of equipment so far (with the coolest being an old British Rail High speed train/Intercity 125) and I hope in the future you have a chance to review that asw!
It gave me serious Brightline vibes too
I just wish they would’ve environmentally surveyed the area before building the route. I think it’s unacceptable that they didn’t environmentally survey the region. That being said, it would’ve been much worse if they built a highway through there which apparently about 20 years ago, they wanted to build a highway there. The highway would’ve demolished more of the forest and displaced more people and would’ve probably put the jaguar on the endangered species list and it’s already near threatened as it is. Expanding train service is crucial to a better future, but at the same time it needs to be done responsibly and ethically. To conclude I’m not against Tren Maya, and to have a train serving an often neglected area is a very good thing, but it also needed to go through environmental surveys before being built
How many locomotives did you saw on the worktrains beside the B39-8? There are a few Geeps and SW1500s moving worktrains over different segments.
Did you consider riding to Campeche?
I am a little torn on projects like this. On the one hand it’s great to get something like this built in reasonable time frames. Big infrastructure projects will always be controversial, so just because there is controversy doesn’t mean it’s a bad project.
We’ve gone completely overboard in the other direction with our environmental and political reviews here in Germany to a point where we’re massively delaying projects and even scrapping them, like the desperately needed Hamburg-Hannover highspeed line, because when everybody gets a say nothing ever gets built.
At the same time this project seems like it’s overly rushed even on safety related issues. A good middle ground is probably what would be needed.
It is frustrating to see other parts of the world build things so much faster. The US will take 5 years to just do a feasibility study on an actual study…
@@Thom-TRAthat’s because this was built by the military. No one can stop the military.
@@Gregq96 I am not your brother. The farthest thing from it
Very cool. I think its unfortunate that the stations are being planned so far out from the centers of these cities, but having a stop right at the airport makes a lot of sense. In playa del carmen it will be similar to merida with the station like 10km out of town.
I’m sure as time goes on stuff will be built around the stations
I'm very happy to see this video! I wish with all the rule-breaking the Lopez Obrador authorized, that the train stations had been located closer to the city centers. The two locations you showed are highly compromised. They're just too far out of the way. Some kind of auto transportation is needed to access them. Otherwise, the train looks great. I couldn't help but notice all the cleaning people working hard. The train is needed in that area. Generally the only way to get around is the automobile in hot, choking traffic. The profound heat combines with auto emissions to create a real toxic brew. Furthermore, frequent storms in the region often makes auto travel very hazardous. Alternatives are necessary.
Intercity rail will definitely help create cleaner air and less dependency on cars! Agreed on the location part though
Some kind of local bus shuttles to the bus terminals in the city centers of the larger cities from the stations would solve the problem.
very cool
Once the Cancun-Tulum line opens, it’s going to be the influencer express as so many influencers will take it to go to and from Tulum for #content
Not even Bali has a train line, yet.
lol you right
@@Thom-TRAI know of and work with several influencers, including travel ones, and they would be the bulk of travel on that line. So much so that they would even make vlogs, TikToks, and reels about taking Tren Maya
@@97nelsn are you in digital marketing?
@@Thom-TRA I’m a photographer specializing in fashion, portrait, product, and events. Working with influencers is part of the job. I usually take the train to my photo shoots since I go into Manhattan.
@@97nelsn that’s cool! Thanks for bearing with my video quality
Thank you for covering this project and I think you two did a great job of showing the projects upsides and downsides. Hopefully in the end it can be a useful public transit service for all and not just tourists and reduce the need for so many cars and the environmental disaster caused by the endless expansion of roads and giant parking lots needed to accommodate them. There must be a balance somewhere between just rushing things like this project without doing necessary reviews and causing excessive environmental impacts that could be mitigated and the U.S. approach of studying transit projects literally to death and making projects take 30 years or more, unless they're a highway that is.
The train are the Best transport, very relax. Greetings from Switzerland. 👍🏼🇨🇭🚄❤️
Trains are awesome!
Im happy mexico is pushing the train system. The only thing I disagree with is the way was built. I think the president was scared that other presidents could cancel or make modifications to his greatest project.
Also, I think it was better to actually open until February when everything is done so the people can have a better experience
I’m happy there’s more trains too. Trains are the best way to travel. We just need to build them sustainably!
Nice video, the station locations especially in Merida will limit the tren Maya’s potential in my opinion
They are looking to relocate it to an underground alignment closer to the city center. Don’t underestimate tourists’ willingness to pay for ride shares either.
@@Thom-TRA Oh yeah, I heard about that; hopefully they can get that done sooner rather than later. Interestingly, there was an old railyard in the center of Merida that has been redeveloped into a park, so that this city now has a sizable park in the center of the city.
There needs to be some reform with the local transit systems. One HOUR? yeesh.
Great video!
Thank you!
Thank you for doing this video.
I’ve yet to meet a Mexican that opposes the project completely. Yes there are issues. And there are issues with every project of this scale. The USA can’t even build a public project like this, CA being the perfect example. The reason they had to build it so fast is because there is a chance the project is canceled by a new president. Overall I see the project as bringing much more positive than negative.
I hope you took from my video that I don’t oppose it completely either. I’m largely in support of it.
Excellent video gents. Thanks for the news, history and updates!!! Love it. 🔥 trains actually look really good. Cant wait to see the other train sets.
Thank you kind sir
I think you did a great job! I like to hear an external and critical point of view, because in Mexico you mostly hear about the positive side of the project, but not so much about the negative implications. I agree with what you say, I'm very concerned about the jungle, the archeological sites, the local population, etc., but especially about the animals. Did you spot any wildlife corridors? The environmental destruction makes me really sad, but I hope that in the long run, this train will create more good than bad, and I still want to check it out for myself.
I think it’s good to highlight the good parts but acknowledge the bad parts. But that’s not good enough for some people.
Much appreciated the transparent take of your video. As a Mexican is hard to find neutral sources.
This project has some good things but unfortunately in México we have many fanatics that are swayed by shiny looking things unable to comprehend long term consequences.
I cannot wait to come back and experience more!
One issue with "take the time to get it right" is that in Mexico, Presidents really want to have something to show off at the end of the term, and the term is six years with no re-election, so every 6 years there are all kinds of brand new plans that then have to be finished in under 6 years, which makes it hard to plan really big things. It's kind of impressive that they got this built at all.
Yeah i can definitely see both sides. On the one hand, term limits are good, but they can become a bad thing if the political climate is so tense that people only care about their projects and not the common good.
I love the fact Mexico is getting new trains built in Britain from 1975 to 1982.
I’m considering traveling down to try them out. I’ve never been on an HST.
@@Thom-TRAyou should also ride the American train with Budds. They're offering dome rides along with amfleets pulled by former GO F59PHs and Former UP SD70M's
They went on a shopping spree thrift shopping but for the Maya they went straight to the dealer.
@@Thom-TRAI'm lucky still a few of my local services are run by Castle Class HST's
@@wavesnbikes - yes for the Interoceanico they were originally hoping to buy the Talgo sets previously used on the Amtrak Cascades but the dealer who bought them off Amtrak (or Washington DOT perhaps) scrapped them too soon. The same dealer had former Amfleet equipment which they refurbished and sold to Mexico as empty shells minus seats.
I'm glad to hear both sides of the issue.
Not everyone is 😂
In the words of the late Ricky Nelson's song, Garden Party, see you can't please everybody but you have to please your self. Happy New Year!
@@jameskerner7782 happy new year to you too!
I'm for any train solution but would there develop a huge demand.. I'd like to see what results are in a few years. Never hope things don't work out, but skepticism will always exist for the first of a few years. Happy Holidays to you and your family..🎄
Definitely saddened by all the inappropriate comments you have received. My parents are from a small town south of Merida so this video is close to home. I have gone to Mexico twice now and I’ve seen the construction of the rail line. Just seeing the construction has gotten me hyped up. There definitely is a lack of decent and reliable transit over here so this will be an upgrade and possibly open more doors to new transit infrastructure. Hopefully next summer we get a chance to check it out, but for now glad you had the chance to ride it. Thanks for sharing!
I’m very excited for Mexico that the focus seems to be on rail right now. Trains are the best way to travel!
Great balanced report. I have been to the Yucatan Peninsula many times-the folks I have met there are some of the friendliest, most hospitable folks anywhere, and for better or worse, much of the area feels safer then your average American shopping mall. Unfortunately, the economy is subject to natural disasters, media reports about how dangerous ALL of Mexico is, and stereotypes, which keep many tourists away.
And I think the tourists that do go mostly see the “influencer” beachy areas
Thanks!
Thank you for your generosity!
Wow! I haven't ride this train yet and it looks to be nice and cool, but it also feels the rareness of the people who rides it, hearing the songs they were singing along the trip. It's good to know the way you explain very positive and also very objective about the train and also the culture information, and what I heard by the news it's been very very controversial because most of the nature was damaged with unreversible solutions. I am a train lover too, but for sure there are a lot of better ways to do and plan big projects like this. I am not Mexican but I know president Lopez Obrador it's more about politics than People. Thanks for sharing.
There are other huge self closing door bathrooms in the train. I saw another UA-camr film them
“This project is not controversial!”
Sure. That’s why I’ve been accused of being too right-leaning, too left-leaning, too nuanced, too extreme, too objective, too biased, completely wrong, and completely right.
Sounds like we got ourselves the textbook definition of controversial here.
But comment away! And thanks for the engagement.
Thank you for giving your perspective of this train. Stayed very neutral and explained without siding with either good or bad aspects just stating the truth. One thing I do wonder though is how different people would talk about it if AMLO didn't decide to just go fast to get this "done" before his presidency was over and just took things at the speed they needed to be. Maybe less oversight on informing on the environmental impact both in destruction of nature and the change in dynamic from purely highway to now having an alternative.
@@dsl2914That's the problem, most big projects in Mexico have to finish before the president leaves because there is no reelection. Most of the time the next president changes or cancels the project that the last president was doing if it's not done.
It's not controversial, or at least it shouldn't be.
Why don't you talk about the environmental devastation that hotels generate? It seems to you that it is completely normal to put thousands of buildings in a protected natural area.
@@edmedina6398 why do you assume I support the giant hotels? I never said that. If you can’t make a fair argument, then don’t make any argument at all.
There is nothing controversial about it, you have no idea. It's progress for this country and just because a handful of haters complain, does not mean it's controversial. YOU want to make it controversial just to get clicks, or else, remove the word controversial from your video's title.
19:25 I'm concerned about how the tactile paving seems to run into a wall. Result of a rush job?
Maybe the wall is a mirage…
Wow, these comments really are proving how this issue has politically divided the country.
My apologies for being “brainwashed” by several dozen sources in multiple languages, across the political spectrum and in different academic fields. Next time, I’ll just repeat exactly what a politician told me to say! But only if you promise to argue against what I’m actually saying, and not what you’ve made up that I’m saying.
Yeah it do be like that sometimes, glad you made the video though otherwise I might not have found your channel today. Loving it and subscribed.
@@Sir_David_Beatty I’m glad to hear this!
You don't have to apologize you said the truth
Yeah I'm so sorry you have to deal with that but thank you for sharing your trip and your honest opinion! So sick of hearing people talk about how great this is without even bothering to experience it.
It was a sarcastic apology don’t worry
Despite the controversy (and I have watched quite a few other videos highlighting it) I am happy to see Mexico receive the beginnings a modern intercity passenger rail system. What many Americans don't seem to realize is that during the post war period when the private American railroads were allowing its passenger service and stations to fall into decline the State of Mexico was not necessarily giving up and in fact built many beautiful mid century modern stations similar to what you would see in Europe. Sadly the entire state supported passenger rail network was allowed to shut down and remained so for decades. This had become a sore point for many Mexicans so I can most definitely understand the enthusiasm they will feel for new state supported services like Tren Maya. History can be messy to say the least but much of Mexico has been deprived of a proper intercity rail system for too long.
I’m sure you saw the parts of my video where I expressed a similar sentiment, that modern intercity rail is a good thing that every place should have.
I dont think Americans realize how big Mexico is, building that train was like connecting several European countries with a train in under 5 years
5 years is a short time to build 1000 miles
On a 1,000-mile stretch through Europe, you'll meet several mountain ranges, dozens of rivers, hundreds of protected nature sites, thousands of protected cultural heritage places and hundreds of thousands of private properties. So you can't really build at that pace.
@@DqtubeIt was the same for Mexico, we are one of the 20 mega diverse countries with the largest amount of UNESCO heritage sites in the american continent, the reason they were able to do it fast is because the government used our version of eminent domain and declared the project an issue of national security, something that would be not doable in an area with different governments. That is actually a proper controversy that a lot of private property from Mayans was taken by the federal government and while they were given a lot of money as reimbursement it was still the settler colonial government taking lands from natives.
@@ericktellez7632 Do you even know where Tren Maya is situated ? Most of the route is flat with altitude below 70 metres and uncrowded. The track ends before the mountains begin and avoids big cities by locating stations outside them.
Looks good but all the soldiers don't give me a nice feeling
The military owns the railway
What is your favorite movie located in Chicago featuring trains? Risky Business?
“While you were sleeping” with Sandra Bullock
I’m probably one of few Texans that is pro-trains, but having visited Quintana Roo in August and seeing the construction, I’m super excited that they’ve finally opened a segment! Saw it from the side of the highway and was really excited for the future.
Traveling through Japan and keep getting reminded why trains are awesome.
I wonder, how fast is this train? I bet it isn’t as fast as a Shinkansen, but it’s gotta be close, right? Also, how soon do you reckon are they going to open express services? Like direct Cancun to Merida?
Not nearly as fast. Only 120 km/h, less than half.