Mexico City Mexico - The Mexican government has identified seven routes where it seeks the establishment of passenger rail service under a decree issued Monday, an edict that will require the companies holding the nation's freight concessions to operate those services or accommodate government-operated trains.
 
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obardor announced his plan to issue the decree earlier this month.
 
A draft version of the decree was released Friday, and CPKC, one of the concession holders though its CPKC de Mexico affiliate, said then that it was talking with the government about the passenger plans and had agreed to fund a capacity study for its Mexico City-Nuevo Laredo route.
 
That 700 mile route is one of the three long-distance routes included in the edict released Monday, the Associated Press reports.
 
The others are a 900 mile route from Aguascalientes to Ciudad Juarez, and a 1,350 mile route from Mexico City to Nogales.
 
BN Americas reports the other routes are Felipe Angeles International Airport (Zumpango)-Pachuca, approximately 16 miles, Mexico City-Veracruz-Coatzacoalcos, Manzanilo-Colima-Gauadalajra-Irapuato, and Mexico state-Queretaro-Leon-Aguascaleintes.
 
CPKC and Grupo Mexico's Ferrosur and Ferrovalle will have until 15 Jan 2024 to present proposals on how they will accommodate the passenger service.
 
But Courthouse News Service reports that if none of the proposals are "viable" the concessions revert to Mexico's army and navy.
 
Author unknown.