El Chepe

History of El Chepe, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railway

El Chepe railroad

The idea of first building a railroad link through the Sierra Madres of Mexico was the brainchild of Albert Kinsey Owen in the year 1861, with the purpose of reducing the shipping route from Kansas City to the Orient by some 400 miles. According to Kinsey Owens’ dream, the Kansas City Mexico Orient Railway (KCMO) would run from Wichita, Kansas through Oklahoma and Texas and thus into Chihuahua, crossing the Sierra Madres and terminating at Topolobampo on the west coast of Mexico.

This gargantuan engineering project, which was begun in 1863 and suffered many setbacks and changes, including a total shutdown of work due to the Mexican Revolution of 1914, took nearly 100 years to complete. The line was finally finished and opened by the government in 1961. The Chp (Chihuahua al Pacifico, or El Chepe) was privatized in 1998, being taken over by the private rail franchise Ferromex.

El Chepe Today

El Chepe’s modern route measures just over 400 miles of track between Chihuahua City and Los Mochis on the coast. The scenery, running past rivers and lakes from the coast into the deep chasms of the Copper Canyon System in the state of Chihuahua, is breathtaking.

The railroad crosses 36 bridges, the longest being the bridge over the Rio Fuerte, with a length of 1,837 feet, followed by the Chinipas Bridge at 1,000 feet.

The railroad traverses a total of 87 tunnels. One of the most incredible is at Temoris, a small settlement 3,365 ft. above sea level. This engineering work of art is called La Pera, because of it shape, somewhat like a bulbous pear. The track makes a 180 degree inclined turn within the bowels of the mountain for an enclosed distance of 3,074 ft. The curve and change of altitude are barely perceptible in the darkness of the tunnel, and only when one emerges, either high above or far below where one entered, does the passenger realize he’s just been completely turned around.

The longest tunnel on the Chepe is No. 86, the last tunnel heading west (i.e., the first heading east!) at 5,966 feet long, located in the State of Sinaloa near the Descanso train stop.

At Ojitos, between Divisadero and Creel, the train reaches its highest point – a soaring 8,000+ feet above sea level.

Chepe coach interior

The major stations on the Chepe, traveling East to West, are:

1. Chihuahua City
2. Cd. Cuauhtémoc
3. Creel
4. Divisadero
5. Posada Barrancas
6. Bahuichivo
7. Temoris
8. El Fuerte
9. Los Mochis

It is recommended that the traveler try to obtain a seat on the southern side of the train, which has the most continuous view of the rivers and canyon that the train follows, although if you’re a camera buff, you’ll probably end up standing for the whole trip on the platforms between cars, where you can peer out without the intervening glass, which isn’t always clear and clean enough to allow good photos. The platforms are noisy and the smell of diesel can sometimes be overpowering – and if you choose to position yourself there, be careful about sticking your head out the side, and NEVER do so while looking backward if you want to save your head from being crashed against a narrow tunnel wall or an invading tree branch.

The train traveler will get glimpses of three of the canyons during the ride. If you’re not planning to overnight at Divisidero itself, take advantage of the 15-minute train stop there to peer into the Urique Canyon from a height of 7,500 feet and take a few photos. At the Posada Barrancas and Divisadero train stations you’ll also see Tarahumara women selling wares from the tracks as well as doing their weaving and selling right in and around the stations.

Temoris

Crafts vendors

Chihuahua al Pacifico

Practical details about El Chepe train service

• Train schedule and ticket prices can be checked on the official El Chepe website (prices in Mexican pesos)
• There is both First Class (Express) and Second Class train service daily through the Copper Canyon. 1st Class service stops only in major tourist stations; 2nd Class service may stop 15 or more stations, depending on passenger requirements.
• Each train leaves Chihuahua and Los Mochis daily between 6am and 7am, arriving at the end of each route, east or west, around 10 or 11 pm. *Note: Leave times will change according to time of year. Double-check actual leave times the day before!
• First Class service offers a Club coach (open 10 am), restaurant (open 7:30 am – 8 pm) and Men’s and Women’s bathrooms. Restaurant and bar prices are on the high side but not exorbitant.
• Smoking is not permitted on the train.
• Seats in First Class service are roomy, comfortable and reclinable and the cars are carpeted.
• Second Class service offers sale of snacks, coffee and basic refreshments.
• No food or drink is allowed in passenger cars of 1st Class Service.
• Both 1st and 2nd class services have a/c and heating.
• Tickets can be purchased through a travel agent or aboard the train. If you don’t have a ticket prior to boarding, simply find yourself a seat and the Conductor will come by and will print you up a ticket and collect the money. The Conductor carries a portable automatic ticket printer with all costs between stationed pre-programed.
• First Class service costs about double that of Second Class service.
• A luggage porter is available on each car.
• For those that are concerned, the train water system does not dump waste water onto tracks; waste water is stored in tanks which are emptied into special cisterns at either end of the route.

Originally posted 2009-10-14 17:07:39.