National Railroad of Mexico
Encyclopedia
The National Railroad of Mexico (Ferrocarril Nacional de México) was one of the primary pre-nationalization
railways of Mexico
. Incorporated in Colorado
in 1880 as the Mexican National Railway (Ferrocarril Nacional Mexicano), and headed by General William Jackson Palmer
of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, it completed a narrow gauge
main line from Mexico City
to Nuevo Laredo
in September 1888 after an 1887 reorganization as the Mexican National Railroad. At its north end, the Texas Mexican Railway
, owned since 1883, ran east from Laredo to the Gulf of Mexico
at Corpus Christi; a second Gulf connection was completed in 1905 through a branch from Monterrey
to Matamoros
. Other branches included a cut-off from Mexico City through Querétaro to Celaya
and an incomplete Pacific
extension from Acámbaro
to Uruapan
. (Another piece of the latter, from Colima
to Manzanillo
, remained with the Mexican National Construction Company, and was acquired by the Mexican Central Railway
in 1905.) The company was reincorporated again in Utah
in February 1902 as the National Railroad of Mexico, and completed standard-gauging the main line in November 1903. The National subsequently acquired three narrow gauge companies in central Mexico. First it leased the Michoacán and Pacific Railway in 1900, giving it branches from Maravatio
to Zitácuaro
and Angangueo
. In 1903 it acquired the Interoceanic Railway of Mexico, which included a main line from Mexico City to Veracruz
and a number of branches, in exchange for the Mexican government gaining control of the National. Finally, in 1906, the Hidalgo and Northeastern Railroad, from Mexico City northeast to Tortugas, Pachuca
, and Irolo, became part of the National Railroad of Mexico's system.
Six years after the government gained control, the properties of the National and Hidalgo and Northeastern were transferred to the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
(National Railways of Mexico) in January 1909. (The Michoacán and Pacific, Interoceanic, and the latter's subsidiaries remained separate companies.) Following privatization
in the 1990s, the old National Railroad of Mexico, including most of the Interoceanic, formed the majority of Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (now Kansas City Southern de México).
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
railways of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Incorporated in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in 1880 as the Mexican National Railway (Ferrocarril Nacional Mexicano), and headed by General William Jackson Palmer
William Jackson Palmer
William Jackson Palmer was an American civil engineer, soldier, industrialist, and philanthropist.-Overview:...
of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, it completed a narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
main line from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo is a city located in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Río Grande, across from the United States city of Laredo, Texas. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo...
in September 1888 after an 1887 reorganization as the Mexican National Railroad. At its north end, the Texas Mexican Railway
Texas Mexican Railway
The Texas Mexican Railway is a class 1 railroad that operates as a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern Railway in Texas. It is often referred to as the Tex-Mex, or TexMex Railway....
, owned since 1883, ran east from Laredo to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
at Corpus Christi; a second Gulf connection was completed in 1905 through a branch from Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
to Matamoros
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
. Other branches included a cut-off from Mexico City through Querétaro to Celaya
Celaya
Celaya is a city and its surrounding municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The municipality for which the city serves as municipal seat, had a...
and an incomplete Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
extension from Acámbaro
Acámbaro
Acámbaro is a city and municipality in the southeastern corner of the Mexican state of Guanajuato, on the banks of the Lerma River, and the oldest of the 46 municipalities of Guanajuato. Acámbaro is noted as a major railway junction, a local transport hub, and the origin of the nationally famous...
to Uruapan
Uruapan
Uruapan is a city and municipality in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The city is the municipal seat of the municipality...
. (Another piece of the latter, from Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
to Manzanillo
Manzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
, remained with the Mexican National Construction Company, and was acquired by the Mexican Central Railway
Mexican Central Railway
The Mexican Central Railway was one of the primary pre-nationalization railways of Mexico. Incorporated in Massachusetts in 1880, it opened the main line in March 1884, linking Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso and connections to the Southern Pacific Railroad, Texas...
in 1905.) The company was reincorporated again in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in February 1902 as the National Railroad of Mexico, and completed standard-gauging the main line in November 1903. The National subsequently acquired three narrow gauge companies in central Mexico. First it leased the Michoacán and Pacific Railway in 1900, giving it branches from Maravatio
Maravatío
Maravatío is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán, representing 1.17% of its land area, or 691.55 km2.- Etymology :The modern word Maravatío comes from the P'urhépecha word Marhabatio, meaning a precious place or thing....
to Zitácuaro
Zitácuaro
Zitácuaro is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The city is the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name, which lies at the extreme eastern side of Michoacán and borders on the adjacent state of México...
and Angangueo
Angangueo
Angangueo is a town and municipality located in far eastern Michoacán state in central Mexico noted for its history of mining and its location in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. It is located in high rugged forested mountains, with the town in a small canyon...
. In 1903 it acquired the Interoceanic Railway of Mexico, which included a main line from Mexico City to Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
and a number of branches, in exchange for the Mexican government gaining control of the National. Finally, in 1906, the Hidalgo and Northeastern Railroad, from Mexico City northeast to Tortugas, Pachuca
Pachuca
Pachuca, formally Pachuca de Soto is the capital of the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the south-central part of the state. Pachuca de Soto is also the name of the municipality of which the city serves as municipal seat...
, and Irolo, became part of the National Railroad of Mexico's system.
Six years after the government gained control, the properties of the National and Hidalgo and Northeastern were transferred to the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, was Mexico's state owned railroad company from 1938 to 1998, and prior to 1938 a major railroad controlled by the government that linked Mexico City to the major cities of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juárez on the U.S. border...
(National Railways of Mexico) in January 1909. (The Michoacán and Pacific, Interoceanic, and the latter's subsidiaries remained separate companies.) Following privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
in the 1990s, the old National Railroad of Mexico, including most of the Interoceanic, formed the majority of Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (now Kansas City Southern de México).