Wow! Just learned that Mexico is nearing completion of an alternate rail route to...

[brush]

Last edited Fri Mar 21, 2025, 02:13 AM - Edit history (1)

the Panama Canal. At first I thought it was an actual canal but later understood it's a railroad route across a southern Mexican isthmus between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.

This makes me wonder will shippers want to offload their cargo to rail cars and then have to reload to another ship on the Pacific side?

If the alternative, shorter and less expensive route is successful it will certainly raise Mexico's international importance, and give a hard blow to the sick fuck bloviator.

[RainCaster]

1. Yup. TSF is focused on obsolescence

He's fixated on an old high maintenance system. Meanwhile, Mexico & China are building a faster cheaper system. Dumbass will be the laughing stock of the world one more time.

[brush]

4. Heehee! Can't wait.

[rampartd]

2. the cargo is containerized

and can be automated to an incredible degree.

[brush]

3. Right. Still has to be offloaded.

[unblock]

5. It's already in service, for about a year and a half now

There are ongoing projects not yet complete -- a second train line and a port expansion, maybe that's what's "nearing completion".

I don't know if it's cheaper, I'm guessing the savings from not having to go all the way to Panama are swamped by the logistics costs of having to dock and offload, and reverse the process on the other side. But it should certainly be better than waiting in line when the canal is at capacity or temporarily blocked.

[EarnestPutz]

6. Quicker and cheaper would be nice to see too.

[mwooldri]

9. If what I'm reading is accurate...

The interoceanic corridor isn't just for freight. Passenger trains run too. Featuring former British Rail High Speed Train sets. (High speed being relative, about 125 mph). Also some former Go Transit (Canada) locomotives, former Union Pacific locos, former Amtrak rolling stock.

[MichMan]

12. If they can build it that quickly, why is it taking California so long to build theirs ? n/t

[FSogol]

13. Squawk? When the mushy headed fans of fox news ask me that,

I reply that we have environmental review and public comment time build into projects. Should we avoid considering impact on the environment, communities, and ignore safety considerations?

[MichMan]

15. Panamanian environment doesn't matter ?

Panama, known for its Panama Canal and bustling urban centers, faces significant environmental challenges. These issues range from deforestation to pollution, posing threats to the country’s natural resources and public health. Addressing these challenges is crucial for Panama’s sustainable future. What exactly are these environmental issues, and what steps are being taken to mitigate them? This article delves into the key environmental issues in Panama, examining the causes, impacts, and ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable environment.

https://panacrypto.com/environmental-challenges-panama/

[Prairie Gates]

22. It is true that right wingers cannot stop talking about California high speed rail failures

They bring it up anytime they see an entry. They will often also claim that tariffs help auto workers and support Texas bussing migrants to Chicago and whatnot.

You know, real shitbags.

[allegorical oracle]

14. May be the same reason Fla. has been delayed -- rights of way purchases. When the older railways

were abandoned, the public rights of way were sold to private hands. Buying them back has been a tough, expensive slog.

[brush]

17. California? There's a Pacific coast but no isthmus connecting the Gulf of Mexico to it.

What do you mean?

[MichMan]

18. California High Speed rail project that was promised to be complete by 2020

Both the timeframe needed and the cost estimates ended up being just pie in the sky claims.

Voters first approved a high-speed rail proposal in 2008 that would connect Los Angeles to San Francisco by 2020. That end date has changed considerably over time. There is no set timeline for when anyone will be able to ride the entire 494-stretch from Anaheim to San Francisco.

The current focus centers on the Central Valley, where officials estimate the 171-mile line from Merced to Bakersfield will be finished between 2030 and 2033.

Officials estimate it could cost about $35 billion to finish the first line from Bakersfield to Merced and roughly $100 billion more to complete the route from Los Angeles to San Francisco — about $100 billion more than what was originally proposed years ago. And the source of most funds is unclear.

High-speed rail development relies on state and federal funding and California’s cap-and-trade incentive, which is set to expire in 2030. The authority hopes to secure private investments in the future, according to its most recent business plan, but currently uses none.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-21/high-speed-rail

[brush]

20. Oh, you're talking about something that has nothing to do with...

an alternate railway connecting California and th Gulf of Mexico...something geographically impossible and an entirely different topic than the OP.

[MichMan]

21. Your OP is regarding a rail line from Mexico to the Panama Canal.

It had nothing to do with California and is thousands of miles away.

It was your OP.

[brush]

24. I wrote the OP. IT's about an alterate railway that connects...

the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean...nothing to do with a railway from from Mexico to the Panama Canal.

[MichMan]

26. Your headline is sure confusing....

"Wow! Just learned that Mexico is nearing completion of an alternate rail route to...
the Panama Canal."

[brush]

27. Ok, I see what you mean. Some may read it as to Panama rather than...

instead of the Panama Canal.

[RetiredRNIowa]

7. Many newer ships are too large for the Panama Canal

We toured the Panama Canal in 2019. Many of the newer ships are too large for the canal. Panama is working on making another larger passageway but that takes time.

[Walleye]

10. I was there as an exchange student 60 years ago and the canal was pretty much obsolete by then

[SusieCreamcheese]

8. Water levels in the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal has experienced significant decrease in water levels due to a lack of rainfall, reducing the number of ships that can travel through the canal. Climate change and the resulting drought in Panama might make the canal more and more unreliable, as lakes and reservoirs that supply water to the canal dry up. Mexico's plan for rail shipment as an alternative may prove quite lucrative as time goes by.

[Wonder Why]

11. Can the U.S. warships be carried on railcars? 😁

[yagotme]

19. Yes, yes they can.

With the aid of a cutting torch or two...

[Paladin]

16. Glad to see Mexico making progress like this.

Amazing what having a shrewd and attractive chief executive will do for a country---and the damage that the absence of such a leader can do, as well. Such interesting times in which we're living...

[David__77]

23. Stupid power plays encourage people to come up with smarter solutions to overcome the bullshit.

Unfortunately they also take a terrible toll on people in the meantime. Hopefully Mexico can become more and more sovereign and prosperous and immune to outside pressure.

[brush]

25. This alternate to the Panama Canal makes Mexico a much more...

significant international player that the foolish sick fuck has to keep his hands off in regards to sending troops into.

[hunter]

29. It's a great opportunity to split or aggregate cargo.

Send one big ship across the ocean to America, divide the cargo between smaller ships in Mexico, some ships heading north, some ships heading south. And vice versa.