US-Mexico Rail Service?

[MP57313]

QUOTE: Originally posted by erikthered
There was a branch of the Southern Pacific that ran from Benson, AZ south, through Tombstone and Bisbee to Douglas. I don't think SP ever ran passenger service on it- the line was built for hauling copper from the mines in Bisbee.

Erik

Erik,
Actually there was through (long distance) passenger service on this line until the early 60's. This was a remnant of the El Paso & Southwestern and continued on from Douglas, across southern New Mexico, to El Paso.
This was called the "South Line" (the existing route of the Sunset is the "North Line"). In essence the SP had a double track line between Tucson and El Paso with these two routes. They abandoned the eastern segment of the South line in the early 60s as an economy measure; there were a few ranches but no real "industry" along the abandoned segment.
This remaining branch later became the San Pedro & Southwestern and runs (or ran) sightseeing trains from Benson down to a town part way along the river (can't remember right now!)

MP

[Anonymous]

There was no cross border rail passenger service when I was stationed at Fort Bliss in 1980, (near El Paso). I do remember some kind of tourist train that ran from the Mexican side of the border, across from Douglas, Arizona, to Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) on the coast of the Gulf of California. This would have been around 1984, when I was stationed at Fort Huachuca, in Sierra Vista, AZ. I remember vaguely that passengers took a bus from Tucson to Douglas. There was a branch of the Southern Pacific that ran from Benson, AZ south, through Tombstone and Bisbee to Douglas. I don't think SP ever ran passenger service on it- the line was built for hauling copper from the mines in Bisbee.

Erik

Erik

[RudyRockvilleMD]

We went by rail through Mexico in 1964, and back then there was no through passenger service between El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez even then. I don't know when the last passenger train (not PCC cars) crossed the border. The through St Louis - Mexico City sleeper was on the Mopac's timetable even as late as 1964, however, more often than not the thru St Louis - Mexico City Sleeer only ran between at San Antonio, TX and Mexico City.

[DSchmitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MP57313

I believe rail service lasted to Ciudad Juarez (across the Rio Grande from El Paso) into the 70s? It was not a true cross-border train, but the cities are next to each other

When I was in El Paso in 1968 most of the users of the Street car line (PCC cars) were Mexicans traveling between their homes in Juarez and work in the States. I read latter that the service was discontinued because of some outragous demands made by the City of Juarez which the company would not agree to. In retaliation I believe that the Mexicans refused to let the PCC's continue to run in Mexico which killed the service. The only ones really hurt by this action were the Mexican workers.

[MP57313]

I believe rail service lasted to Ciudad Juarez (across the Rio Grande from El Paso) into the 70s? It was not a true cross-border train, but the cities are next to each other

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The last through US-Mexico service of which I'm aware was a through St. Louis-Mexico City sleeping car which operated on an MP-NdeM routing involving the Texas Eagle (MP) and Aztec Eagle (NdeM). It was discontinued sometime in the mid 1960's.

[Anonymous]

Is there any passenger service between the United States and Mexico still around? When was the last time you could travel between the two nations?