Nayarit

MEXICAN ADVENTURE . . . CONTINUED FROM PAGE FOUR

This railroad has had an interesting and tempestuous history. A few brief mileposts in its story are as follows: Under the terms of a reciprocal lease with the Santa Fe, in July, 1898, Southern Pacific took over operation of the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad Company line from Benson to Nogales, and the Sonora Railway line from Nogales to Guaymas, originally built by the Santa Fe and opened to traffic in July, 1882. In December, 1911, these properties were acquired from the Santa Fe in exchange for the line built by Southern Pacific from Needles to Mohave, and in June, 1912, title was transferred to the Sud Pacifico de Mexico.

Construction of the road along the west coast of Mexico to a junction with the National Railways of Mexico at Guadalajara was begun at Empalme, Sonora, near Guaymas in August, 1905. Work was started north from both Mazatlan and Guadalajara in 1907. The line from Empalme 117 miles south to Navojoa was completed in May. 1907, and the through line from Empalme to Mazatlan was opened in February. 1912. The revolutionary period 1910-20 halted further construction and also made operation of the completed road extremely difficult. During nine years (1912-21) the 105mile section Acaponeta to Tepic, could be operated for only five months. Bitter warfare raged along its route.

Railroading was an almost impossible feat in the revolutionary period, and it is a wonder that there was a railroad left when it was over. An agreement covering new construction and rehabilitation of sections of the railroad damaged during the revolutions was reached by the railroad and the Mexican government in March, 1923, and two days later work was begun at La Quemada on the 103-mile gap to Tepic. Much of this section was in mountainous territory involving heavy construction, particularly through the volcanic formation of the Barrancas.

Thirty-two tunnels were bored, with a total length of 25,000 feet. These thirty-two tunnels with three additional ones that were bored previously between La Quemada and Tequila, make a total of thirty-five tunnels in that section of the line between Tepic and Guadalajara, the longest of them being tunnel No. 18, 2,943.1 feet in length. This railroad through the Barrancas would gladden the heart of any railroad fan. Rails skirt lofty peaks, cling to steep mountainsides, overlook great gorges, cut right smack through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Mexico. The heavy grades start at Roseta in Nayarit and exTend almost to Guadalajara, a distance of 227 miles. It took fine engineering to build this part of the line and when you consider that it was done before the era of modern dirt moving machinery your marvel at what was accomplished. On one section of the road more than 4,000 laborers were employed, each laborer using a basket, carried by back and secured by a cord over the forehead, to carry dirt away.

The last bridge, the one at Salsipuedes, was completed in April, 1927. and two days later trains were operated over the 1095 miles of line from Nogales to Guadalajara. Salsipuedes, incidentally, is the highest bridge on the railroad being 867.7 feet long and 237 feet high at the highest point. No bridge anywhere, perhaps, has ever been better named. Translated, "Salsipuedes" means "Get off if you can!"

The contribution of the Sud Pacifico de Mexico to the economic stability of the West Coast states cannot be too highly stressed. The railroad operates 125 locomotives and at various times of the year cars in operation fluctuate between 2,000 and 3,200. In 1949 the line carried 52,677 tons of imports, consisting principally of machinery, agricultural implements, lubricating oils and greases, drugs, chemicals and general merchandise. During the same period exports amounted to 163.172 tons. consisting principally of fresh vegetables..

Fresh sea foods, vegetable oil seeds, molasses, copper bullion, ores and concentrates, garbanzo, ixtle fiber and charcoal.

The business and industrial gains recorded through the four states served by the S. P. of Mexico can clearly be seen in operating figures of the line. Freight train miles increased from 976,175 in 1940 to 1,516,420 in 1949. During the same period. Net Freight Ton Miles went from 302,163,835 to 587,788,721; Passenger Train Miles from 425.808 to 758,174; Passenger Car Miles from 5,581,575 to 7,754,015, and Passengers Handled One Kilometer 146,240,489 to 316.422.655.

The task of coordinating the activities of the railroad to best serve the needs of the people and varied industries of Mexico's busy West Coast is the responsibility of four Americans and a large staff of trained and experienced Mexican railroad men. The Americans are B. S. Sines, president; Louis G. Hoff, vice-president in charge of traffic: William Barker, assistant to the president in charge of maintenance; and J. W. McLaughlin, assistant to the president in charge of the mechanical department.

At this very minute trains are rolling both ways up the Barrancas. People are waiting at little stations and villages to wave at the passengers and be waved back at. It is all wonderfully exciting. It is railroading with a Mexican flavor.