Alstom to Deliver First Unit of the Mayan Train in July: FONATUR

Aiming to deliver the project by December 2023, the federal government announced that the first unit of the Mayan Train would arrive in Yucatan on July 8, 2023. According to the rolling stock manufacturer Alstom, the train will feature innovative technology that will prevent failures. 

During López Obrador’s morning press conference, Javier May, Director General, FONATUR, promised that the first unit of the Mayan Train will arrive in Yucatan from Alstom’s assembling plant in Ciudad Sahagun, Hidalgo. 

According to May, Mayan Train's Section 4, which goes from Izamal to Quintana Roo, has 120km of finished railroad with 100% of the rail line set; 97% of the railroad ties finished; 83% of produced ballast; 96% of rail junctions; 95% of pedestrian, car, and fauna crossing points and 96% of drainage works completed. Additionally, 75% of the modernization of the Merida-Cancun Highway is ready. May added that the federal government is committed to delivering the finished project by December 2023. 

Maite Ramos, Country Managing Director, Alstom, mentioned that the first unit of the Mayan Train, which measures 28m in length, will be transported to Alstom's warehouse in Cancun. There, the company will complete its assembly and conduct both static and dynamic tests. According to Ramos, the dynamic test is fundamental as it tests all the train's features, from water, lights, doors and cabins to the electromechanical system and the train's functionality.   

Ramos mentioned that the units will feature a state-of-the-art system called Health Hub, which sends over 200 signals every 30 seconds to determine the conditions of the train, which allows the operator to detect malfunctioning before it happens. She added that both the train and railway signals will be monitored from Alstom’s control centers in Merida and Cancun. 

During the conference, Guadalupe Phillips, Director General, Empresas ICA, showed a video with a virtual walkthrough of the Mayan Train Cancun station. 

The Mayan Train has been subject to criticism, mostly because of its environmental impact. According to the environmental organization Sélvame del Tren, the train’s Section 5 damaged the Dama Blanca Cenote. However, Diego Prieto, Director General, INAH, said those accusations are unfounded. “The cave structure remains intact, with no issues with the rocky access coat. The interior view of the cave remains unchanged and the surrounding area has been protected with an orange citation to prevent machinery from approaching,” Prieto mentioned.