Railroad Tracks

I happened to glance at the other forum to see if this one got any press and I see that a person with the handle of "hensley" wants to know where there are railroad tracks locally. Well he isn't getting help there, so if he/she posts here, I'll help with the location of tracks in Guadalajara. (No I won't send him to Walfart).
I have been banned for 2 lifetimes for asking where to get Chia pets, so I can't help there. Imagine 2 lifetime suspensions? I didn't ever cuss, neither in English nor Spanish!


Hey how about Holland knocking off Brazil (though a Brazilian got rightfully banned)

gm

Aren't any here, haven't been since sometime in the 1920's. All vestiges of rails are G-O-N-E from in front of the estación on González Gallo over by parque Cristiania, where they used to be... I like trains, the one thing I miss from my old home up north. There are tracks/rail systems close to and in Guad, but NONE here (Chapala area) darn, too bad!

Oh, well... I'm not posting this on TOB either. "Hensley" occasionally posts, checks out this forum, but I'm not puttin' my head on no choppin' block "over thatta way". If he/she notices, fine and dandy!

I haven't seen Julie on this board. Perhaps she'll join.

Thought I saw her on here way back... maybe confused her with somebody else? See the post about railroad history... there's some Mexican folksongs about trains and the railroad, too!

Guadalajara has a rich railroad history and even has named a street after railroad heroes.
gm

gringomojado wrote:Guadalajara has a rich railroad history and even has named a street after railroad heroes.
gm

The old Train Station in Guad is now a Jalisco Cultural Center and gives various exhibitions of both local and national art. Last year, they had an exhibit of the Ajijic Society of Arts. Nice show for our local folks.

I heard that in the olden days, the only way to get to Chapala was by boat; then the train came through to that station. When the trains stopped running, the building fell into disrepair and even had livestock quartered there. In recent years, it has been restored to glory. Worth a visit.

I've paid a couple of visits to the museum in Chapala since I've been at Lakeside. It's well worth it; I was surprised to learn that they don't charge admission!

Sad to note, the train/railroad venture lasted only three years.

:(

gringal wrote:

gringomojado wrote:Guadalajara has a rich railroad history and even has named a street after railroad heroes.
gm

The old Train Station in Guad is now a Jalisco Cultural Center and gives various exhibitions of both local and national art. Last year, they had an exhibit of the Ajijic Society of Arts. Nice show for our local folks.

I heard that in the olden days, the only way to get to Chapala was by boat; then the train came through to that station. When the trains stopped running, the building fell into disrepair and even had livestock quartered there. In recent years, it has been restored to glory. Worth a visit.

I guess it would depend on how "olden" the day. I've read books by folks here in the '20s and '40s; they refer to a road to Guadalajara from
Chapala , but the only way to get to Ajijic from Chapala was by boat.

Took a ride down rte 80 today and before you get to Villa Corona is a single track which is still in use. It crosses the road, no signals, etc., so think the train doesn't go by too often. I looked it up on the map and it appears to run south parallel to rte 54, may be a small local spur. Much roadwork up that way, it appears they are also widening rte 80 through Cocula. Much of it is already a 4 lane hiway. Oh, if one continues along rte 80, one comes out at Melaque. Perhaps that is why the road is being improved!

Thanks everyone for all the info. My father is the one that chases trains and is on all the web cams in the area looking for tracks.

The exhibit at the train station in Chapala right now is very good, the lighting is not that good for pictures though, my Dad was all excited about the pictures.

I have been signed up on this forum for quite some time but I couldn't log in today and had to re-register.

There was an article a year or two ago about how the government and private interests were making greenways from the abandoned right of ways. They were for hiking, riding bikes and horseback riding, but I don't recall where they are. Not too far from here I think. Sorry this is so vague, I can't even remember where I read it, the Ojo, Chapala review?

There are presently only 2 passenger trains running in Mexico, one to Tequila, and one to the Copper Canyon. There are lots of fright trains alll over the country.

martygraw wrote:There are presently only 2 passenger trains running in Mexico, one to Tequila, and one to the Copper Canyon. There are lots of fright trains alll over the country.

Are those at Halloween????
Sorry, martygraw, I just couldn't resist!!

yuri wrote:No one person can really be this dense! Haven't you figured it out yet Hensley - there are NO WEB CAMS in the area! What your father is seeing is in fact GOOGLE STREET VIEW. This view never changes and were taken by a GOOGLE camera car some time back!

Time to return to sitting on that large brain!

I guess this is why I have not been visiting this board.
So long folks, don't need it in my happy life!

In a former life with a former wife in nineteen and seventy one (sorry) we took the train from Mexicali to Tapachula, the entire length of Mexico and then some (1st stop on the directo from Mexico City to Tapachula was Vera Cruz). We had decided to take a year off and travel to Costa Rica but wanted to see Mexico first.

The trains pulled more than a few passenger cars, a couple of 1st class sleepers and a dining car but we spent most of our time sitting on the caboose's transom smokin' joints and drinking beer. One of the other advantages was you could hop off at any stop to explore then catch the next train south with the same ticket. That was how we discovered Chapala and Ajijic, (by taxi from Guad.) two rather boring little towns on one very beautiful lake. "The weather is perfect here, year round" bragged an old gringo and I took note, making several trips back over the years to confirm and sure enough, it was perfect.

It took us 3 months to get to Guatamala and another 2 months to get to Costa Rica but what the hey, half the fun was getting there. It's a damn shame they stopped the passenger service. :(

martygraw wrote:There are presently only 2 passenger trains running in Mexico, one to Tequila, and one to the Copper Canyon. There are lots of fright trains alll over the country.

My daughter and some of my friends from work really liked the Tequila Express.
The Copper Canyon trip is really worth the expense.
gm

PS you can always hop a freight train!