South Orient Railroad

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Texas Pacifico Transportation Ltd.
Santa Fe Depot in San Angelo, once part of the AT&SF, now on TXPF line.
Overview
Parent companyGrupo México
HeadquartersSan Angelo, Texas
Reporting markTXPF[1]
LocaleWest Texas
Dates of operation2001 (2001)–present
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Length376 miles (605 km)[2]
No. of tracks1–2
Other
Websitewww.texaspacifico.com

Texas Pacifico Transportation Ltd. (reporting mark TXPF) is a Class III railroad operating company in West Texas owned by Grupo México.[3] The company operates over the South Orient Rail Line under a lease and operating agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation and Texas Pacifico Transportation.

The South Orient Rail Line runs from San Angelo Junction (near Coleman, Texas) to the Mexican border town of Presidio, Texas.[4] Texas Pacifico interchanges with BNSF Railway and Fort Worth and Western Railroad at San Angelo Junction and Union Pacific Railroad at Alpine.

Traffic had been interchanged into Mexico with Ferromex at Presidio over the Presidio–Ojinaga International Rail Bridge, but the bridge has been out of service following fire damage on February 29, 2008.

History

The railroad was built by the Colorado Valley Railway in 1897 as part of a planned service between the Colorado River at Colorado City, Texas and San Angelo. The northern terminus was later changed to Sweetwater, Texas.[5] In 1909, the line became a part of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway in Texas that ran from the Red River to the Rio Grande. In 1928, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway purchased the line. In 1992, ATSF transferred the right of way and fixed assets to South Orient Rural Rail Transportation District (an instrumentality of the State of Texas) and leased the line and the right to salvage to South Orient Railroad Company. In 1998, South Orient Railroad notified the STB of its intent to abandon the line. The State retained ownership of the line and the South Orient discontinued service. In 2001, the Texas Department of Transportation and Grupo Mexico jointly purchased the line.[6] They formed Texas Pacifico Transportation and began operations in 2004.[7]

The line initially was rehabilitated from San Angelo Junction through San Angelo to Alpine.[8] A $7 million federal FASTLANE grant funded rehabilitation of the remaining 72 miles to Presidio.[9]

On February 29, 2008, the interchange traffic with Ferromex at Presidio was suspended following the Presidio–Ojinaga International Rail Bridge fire damage.[10][11] Service over the repaired bridge awaits installation of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection facility.[12][13] It was reported in March 2024 that the Texas Transportation Commission had approved letting of a $33 million project for the inspection facility.[9]

A presentation at the June 2026 Texas Rail Advocates conference showed that construction of the X-Ray inspection facility is well underway. Also, an associated CBP facility is being constructed 2 rail miles north of the bridge.

See also

References

  1. "Reporting Marks: T". Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  2. "Texas-Pacífico: Mileage Chart". Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  3. "2019 Texas Rail Plan" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation. October 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  4. San Angelo Junction at 31°46′37″N 99°22′16″W / 31.777°N 99.371°W / 31.777; -99.371 (San Angelo Junction) lies between Coleman and Santa Anna, Texas and is about 71 miles (114 km) northeast of San Angelo, Texas.
  5. Young, Nancy Beck (January 24, 2005). "History of the Colorado Valley Railway Company". HANDBOOK OF TEXAS. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  6. "Texas Pacifico revives rail service on former South Orient line". Progressive Railroading. January 24, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  7. "Texas Pacifico Transportation, LTD TXPF #57". Union Pacific. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  8. "Texas DOT plan calls for continued rehab of South Orient Rail Line". Progressive Railroading. September 3, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  9. "Big step forward for restored international rail bridge between Presidio TX and Ojinaga MX". Texas Rail Advocates. March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  10. Saenz, Amadeo (January 2009). "Trade Transportation Activities Report" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation. p. 16. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  11. Wanek-Libman, Mischa (23 October 2018). "Groundbreaking ceremony held for Presidio International Rail Bridge". RT&S. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  12. "Tex-Mex rail bridge needs a $35 million state appropriation to start cross-border service". Texas Rail Advocates. March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  13. "Big step forward for restarting international trains across the Rio Grande at Presidio TX". Texas Rail Advocates. Oct 21, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.

Further reading

  • Frailey, Fred W. (October 2014). "The Orient Line REBORN". Trains. Kalmbach. pp. 25–33.