El Chepe into Barranca del Cobre

We checked out of the Posada Del Hidalgo at around 8 am and grabbed a cab for the train station about 10 miles out of town. 

Our train was scheduled to leave El Fuerte at around 8:30 am. We arrived at the station in a few minutes and the train showed up about 30 minutes late!! 

Train station in El Fuerte.......Grand Central?... No....!!

Remember the manana time syndrome that I mentioned in my last ZW that affects people down here?? We didn't care....it's all good. If time parameters were of any concern to us, we would move back to the punctuality of the states. We pulled out of the station around 9:15ish. 

Now the real story begins...................................

EL CHEPE 

The name El Chepe is an acronym for the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad. Most non-Mexicans do not know that the construction of this  railway from the period 1900 to 1960 is recognized as one of the most remarkable engineering and construction accomplishments in the 20th century! 

The railway begins in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico which shares the US / Mexican border with Presido, Texas and terminates at Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico which is a seaport town on the Sea of Cortez 585 miles away. In between lies the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains. The train climbs from sea level to 7874' above sea level.

To accomplish this the engineers and builders had to construct 86 tunnels one of which the Continental Tunnel crosses the Continental Divide and is  4,133.8 feet long! Another the La Pera tunnel is 3,074 feet in length and makes the train do a 180 degree  turn while in the tunnel!! Another the El Descanso Tunnel is over a mile long, 5,966 feet.  There are over 11 miles of tunnels on this railway.

To complete the railway175 bridges had to be constructed! The highest bridge is Chinipas Bridge 768 feet long and 335 feet high! The La Laja Bridge at 509 feet long was built using for the first time pre-stressed concrete piers 164 feet long! The Aquacaliente Bridge which crosses the El Fuerte river is the longest bridge on the railway line at 1,636 feet in length and 148 feet high! Over 3 miles of bridge lengths were constructed.

At one point of the trip the train has to make a loop around back to itself while winding through the hills in order to keep the continuity of the rail line. This train ride was one of the most remarkable trips that either Tana nor I had ever experienced.....it was one breath taking vista after another as we climbed our way through the Sierra Madre on the way to Divisadero and the Barrance de Cobre which is where I'll catch up with you guys the next time.....until then...
la paz to you all..............