TMSourcing bullish on US$1.6bn Maya train rail link

Consulting firm TMSourcing is ready to begin what could be its second major rail project in Mexico, seven months after announcing that it would seek 200bn pesos (US$10bn) in investments for 12 rail projects through a special purpose vehicle (SPV). 

The firm expects a positive response from federal authorities and Yucatán state to its Turix train proposal. The 100km link would connect Progreso port and the Maya train via Umán municipality, SPV Ameriko Railways, Infrastructure & Real Estate technical committee member Pedro Arjona (pictured)⁩, told BNamericas.

The SPV submitted to the local government studies on finances, demand, and rights-of-way, among others, which found the 32bn-peso project is feasible, he said.

Studies began after the state “granted an expression of interest on July 20, 2021, establishing a term of nine months to present the studies,” TMSoursing said in a statement. 

“We would still have to do all the rail engineering, environmental studies, definitive demand studies and so on. But what I can say is that the train is planned to move cargo from Progreso port, passing through Umán,” Arjona said, adding that the firm is still mulling the option of making it a passenger rail line. 

“The type of rolling stock technology would be defined in the definitive studies phase,” he said. 

Progreso port is less than 50km from capital Mérida, where a Maya train station will be built. However, the rail link could reach the train station through Umán and circumvent Mérida. 

Yucatán’s governor Mauricio Vila Dosal has shown interest in the project, as he discussed related works with interior minister Adán Augusto López a few weeks ago, local daily La Jornada Maya reported. 

“I trust that working in a coordinated manner with the interior ministry, the project of connecting the port with the Maya train will be achieved,” Vila Dosal reportedly said. 

“What we would like for the benefit of the project is to be able to sit down at the table and build an agenda, in such a way that what we have already done can help, agree on the times and do correct planning,” he said, referring to the project's next step.

TMSourcing is also behind the US$2.5bn, 416km Bajío passenger train, linking Mexico City and Guanajuato state via Querétaro and Mexico state. 

The Bajío project was well received by the federal and state governments after the firm submitted a non-solicited proposal. 

These projects are attractive for the government because studies and planning are being carried out by the company and investments will come from the private sector, according to plans presented by TMSourcing. 

Mexico’s infrastructure, communications and transportation ministry (SICT) has added the Bajío train to its national rail program, even though it confirmed interest in the project only in February.