People seem to forget that Mexico is in North America, and it's honestly probably the leader in NA transit, at least in CDMX. I love this Mexico trip! It's awesome.
@@Thom-TRAis has always been an issue, many people of other states always complain about México being so centralism. And there are state that give so much money back to the Federal government but received less in return
Yeah outside Mexico City public transportation is so so, Guadalajara and Monterrey are doing amazing things, and cities like Merida and Leon are doing some work but outside these 4 cities you have huge cities like Tijuana or Juarez where their public transportation are old American school buses … sadly public transportation in Mexico is not standardized
Was thinking the same thing! I laughed a lot because I'm Mexican and failed miserably to pronunce "Zinacantepec" and you did it perfectly lol. Thank you for showing us our new train with such a good quality video :)
The incoming government plans to build twice as much as new railroads as the previous one which was already something extraordinary but most of it will be done outside Mexico City but if in Mexico City we could have this same train connecting it to Cuernavaca, Puebla and Querétaro then it would be more than amazing.
It's almost certain that it will get to Pachuca. Then there's a big chance that before 2030 the train to Querétaro will be operating. There have also been talks about expanding the Pachuca train down to Puebla. Cuernavaca is likely to not have a train anytime soon... Since the mountains and huge elevation differences would require a massive investment.
They will only refurbish and adapt old railways for communal use. This project was surrounded by extensive construction delays as well as corruption. Don’t even mention the Tren Maya 😅. At least it’s finally functional after so many years
@@Teldaewick_RECome on. If we talk about El Insurgente, of course. But Tren Maya was built in record time, it was such a feat to build 1500 km of train tracks and stations in four years.
@@Thom-TRA when you are young, everything is "relatively new" :-))) You do have a lot of international exposure (a biography to write when you retire 😁). That exposure gives your content a very nice twist. Good luck!
When the first station in Mexico City opened last month it was complete hit. So you are right when the whole system is operating by December of this year… it’s going to be something else. 👏🏻 🇲🇽
This line reminds me of the Skyline in Honolulu, with both being modern elevated lines first built outside of the main city center, with extensions in the works. El Insurgente is also a cool name for a train line.
Good video about El Insurgente. I think it is a step in the right direction towards modernization. Mexico's economy went from 15th to 11th place and in this six-year term we will reach the top 10
I can see SOOO many commuter/regional rail routes in the US and Canada adopting this model. Hell, my native Philadelphia alone would take a lot of notes, alongside building out new lines along this model. Something like this, the Melbourne Skyrail upgrades and such would be fantastic.
And they said jazz was dead, haha. More seriously I'm really impressed by what you've shared here. Having heard about this project only in the abstract, it's exciting to see for real. I also think it's great you highlight Father Hidalgo
I will ride this train just to enjoy the views (idk if you’ve seen the images but the sight of the train passing next to the skyscrapers in Santa Fe is amazing), but I am so happy that it will primarily help commuters get to their destination and that it’s not just a tourist scam or something. I wish we built many more lines like this from nearby cities to CDMX and also one between Monterrey and Saltillo. Saludos from Mexico!!
@@Thom-TRA Hey man thanks for replying and especially thanks for taking the time to cover an important new infrastructure in my country. Can't wait for the review once the full line opens!
There’s a lot of political pushback to build more trains in Mexico, conservatives believe it’s a waste of money and resources but there’s just so much benefit from having a reliable transit system especially for a developing country like Mexico.
The pushback was with Tren Maya that did not do the proper environmental studies. El Insurgente was started by the opposition of Morena and Morena is finishing it like almost all Mexican infrastructure projects, started by the previous administration and finished by the next one. Interstate projects have always been proposed but never done, remember when the rail line was proposed between MX City and Queretaro during Fox's administration and then with Peña?
entiendo tu punto, pero ojalá pudieras ver también qué de imaginarios no tienen nada. Solo recurriendo a hechos confirmados, que no es enemigo alguien que tuvo a un narco sentenciado como el mayor responsable de la seguridad nacional? y que en los hechos la cantidad de homicidios se dispararon desorbitada mente cuando proclamó la llamada guerra contra el narco dirigida por este mismo narco ya sentenciado en NY?
It does not have a bathroom because it's a public transport train, not a tourist one. Toluca and CDMX are pretty close to each other, which is why people from Toluca go to work in CDMX. By the way, you also must try the Tren interoceánico, which is another off the trains builted in this government.
Now that they open the section of Santa Fe (mexico city) the frequency is lower and the speed will increase until they finish the whole line sadly 😭 I just saw some clips on the new section and the views are so beautiful
Sería mejor que pusieran música clásica, opera tal vez a un nivel bajo que no interrumpa tus pensamientos, los instrumentos de música de viento como el saxofón no son precisamente armoniosos.
Are you going to make video on Tren Interoceánico? It's quite interesting project, with little coverage in english, especially when compared to Tren Maya.
@@Thom-TRA Understandable, it's quite long way from Mexico City. But thanks for covering Mexico City transit for us who are too lazy to learn spanish and too broke to go anywhere! :D
I'm glad Tren Interoceánico gave the BR HST [Class 43 plus MKIII's] a second home. Despite being 48 years old. They still hold the World record for Diesel hauled trains. The Mexican track and signalling won't challenge them to this speed but links between Kernow, GB especially Long Rock where one of the HST depots is and Mexico led to these being given retirement or second life in Mexico. The pub in Long Rock is called "The Mexico Inn'" and was the village near Penzans where Mexican copper miners lived in the late 1800
First of all, I must complement you on your Spanish pronunciation. The history lesson you included was also well done. I agree with you that once the system is connected to Observatorio, the train will have high ridership since Santa Fe has no other rail transit. The section Observatorio-Santa Fe will probably be packed. I imagine the approx 20 mile section Lerma-Santa Fe is where you will see the highest speeds. Line 3 of Mexico City's Cablebus will connect to El Insurgente at Vasco de Quiroga from Constituyentes Metro station. It's great to see Mexico City investing in inter-city as well as suburban rail transit. It is sorely needed in the continent's largest metro area. Ugh! The music on the train is very annoying. I prefer quiet trains or at the very least background music that stays in the background. This music is intrusive. You're right, I can't think of an American city that has created a new commuter rail line in the last 40 years that didn't use existing RR lines, which can inhibit frequencies due to being owned by the freight railroads. I've often thought that new commuter rail lines could be built along freeway corridors which would reach key markets, reach dense urban and suburban areas, and offer circumferential routes.
I just found out about this channel and loved it! I'm from Mexico and it's nice that someone that has reviewed soo many trains visited our capital. I'm definitely watching all your videos haha 😅
Thank you for this great video ! The line clearly has great potential, and those CAF electric units are very good indeed. They are very similar to CAF units in Barcelona and Madrid, and that has to be a recommendation ! Looking forward to your next ride !
Mexican here, keep in mind that this and the airport one are the only 2 conmuter trains that we have in the entire country, american ones migh not be the better ones but at least they are common.
The music in most touristic places around Mexico it’s on purpose. As you said, it’s because of copyright. Mexico have a lot of social/urban programs where they want you to “sit on the table, put your phone away and talk to each other.” There was a huge campaign doing ads whit that message. Most tourism in Mexico sells relaxation, so they’re going to put music on purpose forcing people to put their phones away. Most of the commercial spots where showing people walking watching their phones and getting run over, talking on the phone and not noticing a child being kidnapped, etc. the ads had very strong messages. So people agreed to have music. If you pay attention it’s not normal to see people walking whit their phones on the streets/sidewalks while crossing the street of in general. Most people do it unaware of why it is normal because it haves become a cultural manner, people don’t walk whit their phones.
It sounds almost as bad as the Atlanta airport's outside train - it would not stop loudly giving directions, notices and information, on repeat, the entire journey (and I was riding at 5am 😢)
This is great! New electric elevated suburban rail is a great way of alleviating road congestion. The 4-4 seating and super loud jazz could use some work, however. . .
As a Toluca's resident, I can confirm that the train by now is awesome and really effective (time will tell if that prize remains in its hands) and it reduces the traveling time from 2h to 40 min and it connects with a shopping mall, which is a very good thing that is similar to the strategy of japanese train stations. I hope mexico city and its surroundings adopt this type of system, it will alleviate the traffic in the centre of the country.
Just making things clear; Hidalgo defeted the spanish army in the battle of Las Cruces, near México city; and hesitated in attacking it next, probably trying to save lifes of the spanish population since riots have happened in previos battles; others say that his army ran out of munitions.
As a curious fact: The "Insurgente" train models are from the CAF (Constructora Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) brand. The same trains manufactured for the CDMX metro line 12 (FE-10).
@@Thom-TRA What I mean is that it is the same company, not the model. Both are created for the CBTC mode (WiFi-based Communications) and with Catenary.
@@nm-22elchinooriginal79 pretty sure CBTC is not wifi-based communication, but an advanced version of the fixed block signalling systems via radio (moving block signalling). Also, I doubt it's using CBTC but more like ETCS which is more mainline based...
@Thom-TRA It was crazy, but a lot of fun. I was setting up a new factory not far from the Zapata statue. On weekends and vacations I wandered around many of the mountain towns. Ah, the food!
The expansion of the suburban train to the new AIFA airport will use the same train model as the insurgent one. There will be 10 trains, with the same paint pattern, the only difference is that the wheels were adapted to use the same type of suburban train track.
@@linuxsisschannel8602 Yes, but they are trains that were kept in reserve for a future increase in demand. The El Insurgente stations are very long, this is because it was planned to use two connected trains to form a single longer train and cover the increase in demand in the future. That is why it does not affect taking those trains that were in reserve, since they can be replaced later in the event that there is such an increase in demand.
I remember one time when my dad was in Mexico City 6 years ago, he took a picture of a train bridge under construction of a high speed rail system and he showed it to me when he got back. That must be the same train system if that’s the newest. I think that’s how long he’s been traveling there for work and hasn’t been going exactly every year since.
Very cool coverage💀 👍🏻. These trains look clean and I’ve noticed, their is hardly any graffiti in that area from what I’m looking at from your footage and I’m sure their is graffiti here and their in Mexico but it doesn’t look as bad compared to the US.
Maybe the real Insurgente was the jazz music we heard along the way. :) I absolutely wish we could get over our fear of elevated rail in the US and just build new ROW and services. **sigh**
Have you done the Interoceanico the one run by ex British Rail HST's yet? The music on board is now used as a common thing to prevent loitering and begging. Apparently playing music stops people hangling around especially if it's classical or jazz. The Rio De Janiero Metro uses this as do some city bus stations in Northern England.
Este tren en México tuvo características estratégicas pues conecta a las zona corporativa de la CDMX con la zona industrial del EDOMEX y a las comunidades populares para que la gente tenga más facil, rápida y barata para trasladarse lo más cómoda y eficientemente pues cerca de Toluca esta otro aeropuerto. Excelentemente pensado y enormes beneficios para la población y la inversión. Saludos!
Hello, thank you for covering this! I wish u get to see it when El Insurgente opens fully (not exactly when they open as they like to open asap and it takes a bit of weeks to have all ready - all the non functional stuff such as decoration or such) and when the AIFA train opens too, the one from Mexico city to AIFA airport.
I know just as ironic as Donald t-Rump he always screams "make america great" MAGA but on the other hand he mass produces all the merchandise he sells in China by Chinese workers with Chinese raw materials and by Chinese manufacturing companies more than an ironic thing it's a show for the masses and it happens all over the world more often than you think
Wouldn’t be that way if a bunch of neoliberals hadn’t privatized our national train companies in the 90’s, selling them to foreign interests and dismantling our train production capabilities that took decades to build.
We're gonna get one of these too on the other side of the (other) pond within the next 5 years. Ours will be longer though with 8 cars, have 2 toilets per train and the stations will have platform gates. Which makes sense since the train will go for like 60 miles or more. They'll complement the Japanese subway-looking trains that were already sent here 2 years ago. So cheers to both of us.
In many ways, El Insurgente reminds me of the Delhi RRTS, which I can only describe as "Interurban Level Extreme". They are planning 3 lines for a connection across the National Capital Region, with specifications that are quite similar to El Insurgente (though the routes are significantly longer).
To bad you missed on the next stop after Zinacantepec... It has a great View of a forest AND goes tru a really long tunnel... I think ITS the longest in latín América
@@Thom-TRA maybe ITS my broken english.. what im saying Is that ITS to bad you barely missed out.. that Is all.. it feels like you answer comment in a defensive way.. maybe you are not but i kind of feels that way.
Something like El Insurgente would make sense between Largo and Annapolis. However, the Harry Truman Park & Ride is 4mi from downtown so we are either stuck with that, then again crossing the South River and the immediate Annapolis suburbs might kill off any connection between WMATA territory and Annapolis
Question is, does this train scream Cercanias/Rodalies loud enough to quell the jazz? Reckon this is a similar tactic to the classical played in various parts of the NL and DE systems. Plus it makes sure you don't linger on what is bound to be a high capacity system once it's fully built, as you say. Thanks for the insights, it all makes me impatient for the next \m/
SMOOTH JAZZ 🎵 My way to roll :) Also the ascending/descending chimes reminds me of the final round of “Weakest Link” when the players decide who wants to answer first.
@@Thom-TRA how’d you know malls are my first love? 😅 my local mall a long time ago used to have a 3-4 second long telephone tone noise that lives rent free in my brain since the late 90s.
Imagine traveling to San Francisco from la much faster or from the valley to one of these big cities? This is good to see. I hope thst bullet train finally gos through. Here on ca. seems theyre still working on parts of the track such as but it seems like 10 15 years away.
So awesome seeing this train connection being finished, this should be a game-changer, considering the horrendous amount of traffic between both cities. From the looks of it, as a German I wouldn't call it a "train", but more a kind of "S-Bahn". The buttons on the doors and even the sound of the engines remind me a lot of the Berlin S-Bahn! Understandable then, that the seats aren't that comfortable and that there are no toilets.
@@Thom-TRA You are right, it is a type of train. But, in our everyday language in Germany "train" is understood as "Zug" or "Bahn". A "Zug" indeed has all the amenities and characteristics you mentioned. But normally no one in Germany would call an S-Bahn a "Zug". So, in Germany we make quite a distinction between those two types (and therefore would not expect toilets on an S-Bahn). I didn't know what type the train to Toluca was - given the relatively short distance, it makes sense having the S-Bahn type ;). Hopefully I get the chance to ride it one day!
@@Thom-TRA Hopefully next year (2025) the MBTA will open a rail line from Fall River and New Bedford to Boston MA. I would be great to watch a video of it.
I myself love and support transit and I appreciate your encouragement and enthusiasm for modern transit in the USA. I still want to note it is a challenge to decide where to run the lines and how to deal with the impacts. I've seen in Chicago how many buildings were demolished just to stage for the RPB flyover. And how much land has been left scarred in the UK with overzealous transit expansion that's now closed. You've discussed the negatives of Tren Maya. I'd be curious to see the impacts of clearance for El Insurgente. I say this more so as a reminder, you can wish for it, but still there is just so much impact in established communities when a line is cut through that it's not so easy to just expect it to happen.
I think that’s where the importance of historical monuments, environmental reviews, and our modern understanding of history comes in. We can’t let the fact that things are built get in the way of ever building something new, that will lead to our cities crumbling. But we can’t rush things like Tren Maya either. Instead projects should take time to calculate what will have the greatest benefit with the least harm. We’re smart enough to do that.
I would like to meet you in November in LA when the second segment of the K Line, the potion between West Westchester/Veteran's and the junction with the Green Line south of LA Airport. This segment includes 96th Street LAX Transit Center and Aviation/Century stations. When this link opens, the "C" line will run from 96th Street to Norwalk and the "K" line will operate between Redondo Beach and Expo/Crenshaw.
Hmm, this service really reminds me of Gautrain in Johannesburg-Pretoria; it's another service that does hit 160kph service speed and is intended to be a classy alternative to driving. They use the British electrostars, so the trains are definitely nicer, but the architecture and stuff feels very similar. However, I feel like this train is a big miss for needing a metro transfer. Gautrain delivers people right into CBDs, and right to the airport (although they have a much more disconnected set of transit systems there; wealth disparity is very very visible there).
What Joburg miss compared to Mexico City is their confusing suburban rail system , is still in used? Would love to see these system replaced to metro lines
This train has a station right in the middle of santa fe one of the citys biggest cbds and an área that was mostly disconnected from the transit system of the city,It does not reach Downtown but keep in mind about half a million people commute daily the route that this train makes, the only ways to reach santa fe prior to this train where buses and cars, also as you said It Will connect with the metro, México City has one of the most extensive metros in the world 12 línes and More than 200 km, when It conects to the metro the ridership Is expected to explode, so yes transfers will be needed but as a whole the transit system Is very integranted
Based upon other, older rail coach equipment from CAF, in my opinion, exteriors are acceptable while interior seating design may look new but may not hold under heavy use, comfort notwithstanding.
They should extend the line across the center in the long term, maybe this would need to be in a tunnel. But it's great to see that the current line is fully elevated!
The City has 12 metro línes many passing through Downtown, It Will be hard todo It through a tunnel, some metro línes aré already very deep because they had to built them under the existing lines
@@Thom-TRA Of course its expensive, but it could be very useful. It could be like Londons Crossrail, which is parallel to the central line, but with fewer stops. Or like Paris RER.
@@Thom-TRA It could go to buenavista via La Condesa, Insurgentes and Revolucion. Or it could go to the airport via San Pedro de los Pinos, Etiopia, Xola, Coyuya and Ciudad Deportiva
That's a good project. Modern and functional ststions and also modern trains. With those EMUs Caf just seemed to have done an upgrade of RENFE 's Civias, wich are presently the Spanish operator most modern commuter rolling stock (but already new EMUs from Stadler & Alstom are being built or in the 1st steges of testing, and Caf 's next generation Civity EMUs are on order). The interior is quite similar to the ones from Renfe. Only the frontal lights have a different look. Possibly the electrification system is also different from the Spanish one (in Spain the Civias work under 3 Kv dc. This system being new it's probably 25 kV ac). As for train speed the line just seems to be working on some sort of ',teal's test mode, but if it will reach 160 Km/h, that's quite a good level (in Spain, the Civias top speed is 120)
Una disculpa por escribir en español, pero no se inglés. Desafortunadamente van a operar a una velocidad máxima de 120k/h, las pendientes se hasta 4 grados y las curvas constantes en el trazado limitan la velocidad, donde probablemente si destaque es en ramal al AIFA que tiene grandes rectas.
Great video. Amen about building more projects like this in the U.S. Doing elevated lines with modern electrified European rolling stock would be a great way to modernize U.S. commuter rail systems and increase their usefulness. Overall this looks great. Maybe if they end up having another line and they keep the saxphone jazz around they could call it the Kenny G line.
@@Thom-TRA That would be cool. Would be nice to go out to Annapolis for a day on a DC trip and Union Station would be a great hub to easily get to other places in the DC metro area. It'd be great to at least see the MARC Penn Line converted to modern European-style EMU trains.
Some US cities have new commuter trains in service. Examples are TexRail & Caltrain (Stadler), Metro North & LIRR (Kawasaki M8’s and M9’s). But I agree that a lot of them are lacking.
You should make a video of the commuter train that goes from Buenavista (CDMX) to Cuautitlan (EdoMex), the trains are inspired by the Renfe 447 from Madrid, Spain.
I'm from Toluca, but live in CDMX. All my family still lives in Toluca. This train is an authentic game changer for us.
I’m glad!
@@Thom-TRAwow amazing
So much better than anything in Chi Na
@matpk Everything we here from China here in the western is that China's infrastructure is the best and very challenging for engineers.
Hope this is ready for 2025
Podria preguntar si los precios son accesibles, comparando con otros medios de transporte ? Gracias
The design looks clean as hell for a commuter train
It’s pretty sweet!
Commuter train is not really accurate
Commuter train is not really accurate
@@xderleonx7227 it’s a train used by commuters. It’s a commuter train.
Don’t overthink this.
america is one of the only countries with a bunch of diesel only commuter trains
People seem to forget that Mexico is in North America, and it's honestly probably the leader in NA transit, at least in CDMX. I love this Mexico trip! It's awesome.
The transit outside of CDMX can be hit or miss!
@@Thom-TRA Best outside are the buses. They have a pretty good system of buses leaving Mexico City. BTY, thanks so much for this series on CDMX.
@@Thom-TRAis has always been an issue, many people of other states always complain about México being so centralism.
And there are state that give so much money back to the Federal government but received less in return
Yeah outside Mexico City public transportation is so so, Guadalajara and Monterrey are doing amazing things, and cities like Merida and Leon are doing some work but outside these 4 cities you have huge cities like Tijuana or Juarez where their public transportation are old American school buses … sadly public transportation in Mexico is not standardized
Ehhhh so so. CDMX is totally world class in its transit but from what I know, transit is pretty lacking in most of the rest of the country
Even some people in mexico cant say Zinacantepec, you did it excelent!
Wow thank you! I had to practice
😂I agree
Was thinking the same thing! I laughed a lot because I'm Mexican and failed miserably to pronunce "Zinacantepec" and you did it perfectly lol. Thank you for showing us our new train with such a good quality video :)
And so !What he said that músic were so laughter!
😂😂😂
I like that it's elevated, and with large windows. Very interesting views.
The incoming government plans to build twice as much as new railroads as the previous one which was already something extraordinary but most of it will be done outside Mexico City but if in Mexico City we could have this same train connecting it to Cuernavaca, Puebla and Querétaro then it would be more than amazing.
Mexico City can go almost in any direction and hit something that would work with a train.
It's almost certain that it will get to Pachuca. Then there's a big chance that before 2030 the train to Querétaro will be operating. There have also been talks about expanding the Pachuca train down to Puebla.
Cuernavaca is likely to not have a train anytime soon... Since the mountains and huge elevation differences would require a massive investment.
Tren Maya and Interoceanico spring to mind.
They will only refurbish and adapt old railways for communal use. This project was surrounded by extensive construction delays as well as corruption. Don’t even mention the Tren Maya 😅. At least it’s finally functional after so many years
@@Teldaewick_RECome on. If we talk about El Insurgente, of course. But Tren Maya was built in record time, it was such a feat to build 1500 km of train tracks and stations in four years.
Thank you! The fact that you can produce an INTERNATIONAL TH-cam channel is quite amazing!!!
Greetings from St.Petersburg, Russia!
Haha, my US content is actually only relatively new!
@@Thom-TRA when you are young, everything is "relatively new" :-))) You do have a lot of international exposure (a biography to write when you retire 😁). That exposure gives your content a very nice twist. Good luck!
Greetings Rusia from México 🇲🇽
When the first station in Mexico City opened last month it was complete hit. So you are right when the whole system is operating by December of this year… it’s going to be something else. 👏🏻 🇲🇽
Yeah it might get really crowded on those short trains!
It's great to see other transit enthusiast here in Mexico, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
This line reminds me of the Skyline in Honolulu, with both being modern elevated lines first built outside of the main city center, with extensions in the works. El Insurgente is also a cool name for a train line.
It’s certainly an impressive name
Im mostly just confused by the name…
@@LuckyFlanker13 I explained it in the video so maybe if you watch that part it’ll clear up confusion!
@@Thom-TRA Ok yeah in hindsight i jumped the gun hard. nice vid
I was Just there on October 2024 ad I love it… by the way Jazz music now playing softly low 👍
Good video about El Insurgente. I think it is a step in the right direction towards modernization. Mexico's economy went from 15th to 11th place and in this six-year term we will reach the top 10
Ya quiero que hagan en Tren para Jalisco, para poder viajar más rápido y más seguro 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽
El de Guadalajara - Manzanillo, para ir a la playa sin el tráfico 😢
Considering the size of Mexico City the simple easy to maintain interiors makes perfect sense.
I don’t see the connection
La neta nosotros los Mexicanos nos adaptamos a todo, si no tiene baño ,ni modo ,así son las cosas
I can see SOOO many commuter/regional rail routes in the US and Canada adopting this model. Hell, my native Philadelphia alone would take a lot of notes, alongside building out new lines along this model. Something like this, the Melbourne Skyrail upgrades and such would be fantastic.
The Philippines is building some cool projects too!
Thanks for come to México and make the reviews of the Insurgent Train and Train Maya
And they said jazz was dead, haha. More seriously I'm really impressed by what you've shared here. Having heard about this project only in the abstract, it's exciting to see for real. I also think it's great you highlight Father Hidalgo
I wonder what Hidalgo would have thought of jazz…
@@Thom-TRA I'd like to think our man was also an absolutely sick jazz xylophonist
Viendo un video de cómo funciona El insurgente en inglés...te amo globalización
Looks cleaner and newer than New Yorks subway 🚊
I discovered your channel whit the last video and it's awesome... just like train's
Thank you! Glad you’re here
I will ride this train just to enjoy the views (idk if you’ve seen the images but the sight of the train passing next to the skyscrapers in Santa Fe is amazing), but I am so happy that it will primarily help commuters get to their destination and that it’s not just a tourist scam or something. I wish we built many more lines like this from nearby cities to CDMX and also one between Monterrey and Saltillo. Saludos from Mexico!!
Enjoying the views is a good reason to ride a train! Sometimes I do that too.
@@Thom-TRA :D
@@Thom-TRA Hey man thanks for replying and especially thanks for taking the time to cover an important new infrastructure in my country. Can't wait for the review once the full line opens!
There’s a lot of political pushback to build more trains in Mexico, conservatives believe it’s a waste of money and resources but there’s just so much benefit from having a reliable transit system especially for a developing country like Mexico.
Tienes muchos enemigos imaginarios como cualquier chairo recalcitrante.
The pushback was with Tren Maya that did not do the proper environmental studies. El Insurgente was started by the opposition of Morena and Morena is finishing it like almost all Mexican infrastructure projects, started by the previous administration and finished by the next one.
Interstate projects have always been proposed but never done, remember when the rail line was proposed between MX City and Queretaro during Fox's administration and then with Peña?
entiendo tu punto, pero ojalá pudieras ver también qué de imaginarios no tienen nada. Solo recurriendo a hechos confirmados, que no es enemigo alguien que tuvo a un narco sentenciado como el mayor responsable de la seguridad nacional? y que en los hechos la cantidad de homicidios se dispararon desorbitada mente cuando proclamó la llamada guerra contra el narco dirigida por este mismo narco ya sentenciado en NY?
This train’s name sounds metal af. As a fan of both trains and metal, I wholeheartedly approve.
It does not have a bathroom because it's a public transport train, not a tourist one.
Toluca and CDMX are pretty close to each other, which is why people from Toluca go to work in CDMX.
By the way, you also must try the Tren interoceánico, which is another off the trains builted in this government.
Lots of “public transport trains” have bathrooms.
Hay muchos trenes interurbanos con baños
Long-distance trains need toilets in their stations
@@yisusmg7794 I know bro, but this train is not to long.
We are talking about 35-45 minutes between CDMX and Toluca (on the train).
@@Thom-TRALeonardo does not expressed correct. That's not the reason and you are right. But the commuter trains in Europe don't use to have toilet
Beautiful, thank you!! Mexico City is a really impresive city!! ❤❤
It really is!
Now that they open the section of Santa Fe (mexico city) the frequency is lower and the speed will increase until they finish the whole line sadly 😭
I just saw some clips on the new section and the views are so beautiful
Once again, TRA in mexico! 🇲🇽 🇲🇽 (Seriously, another great video thom.)
Thank you!
This is a beautiful, clean train.
¡Monta en El Insurgente! El tren del jazz premium de México. 😆
🎷🎷
Sería mejor que pusieran música clásica, opera tal vez a un nivel bajo que no interrumpa tus pensamientos, los instrumentos de música de viento como el saxofón no son precisamente armoniosos.
Are you going to make video on Tren Interoceánico? It's quite interesting project, with little coverage in english, especially when compared to Tren Maya.
I thought about it but the schedule was just too unreliable to make it work for me. It would have cost me so much.
I thought about it but the schedule was just too unreliable to make it work for me. It would have cost me so much.
@@Thom-TRA Understandable, it's quite long way from Mexico City.
But thanks for covering Mexico City transit for us who are too lazy to learn spanish and too broke to go anywhere! :D
I'm glad Tren Interoceánico gave the BR HST [Class 43 plus MKIII's] a second home. Despite being 48 years old. They still hold the World record for Diesel hauled trains. The Mexican track and signalling won't challenge them to this speed but links between Kernow, GB especially Long Rock where one of the HST depots is and Mexico led to these being given retirement or second life in Mexico.
The pub in Long Rock is called "The Mexico Inn'" and was the village near Penzans where Mexican copper miners lived in the late 1800
What an awesome train with awesome views and music!!! 😊
Imagine metra playing music on board!
@@Thom-TRA 🤣🤪🤣🤪🤣🤪
First of all, I must complement you on your Spanish pronunciation. The history lesson you included was also well done.
I agree with you that once the system is connected to Observatorio, the train will have high ridership since Santa Fe has no other rail transit. The section Observatorio-Santa Fe will probably be packed. I imagine the approx 20 mile section Lerma-Santa Fe is where you will see the highest speeds. Line 3 of Mexico City's Cablebus will connect to El Insurgente at Vasco de Quiroga from Constituyentes Metro station. It's great to see Mexico City investing in inter-city as well as suburban rail transit. It is sorely needed in the continent's largest metro area.
Ugh! The music on the train is very annoying. I prefer quiet trains or at the very least background music that stays in the background. This music is intrusive.
You're right, I can't think of an American city that has created a new commuter rail line in the last 40 years that didn't use existing RR lines, which can inhibit frequencies due to being owned by the freight railroads. I've often thought that new commuter rail lines could be built along freeway corridors which would reach key markets, reach dense urban and suburban areas, and offer circumferential routes.
Apparently line 3 of the cablebus just opened!!
Denver's commuter train network is mostly new and separate. But I can't think of any besides that.
Except Hidalgo.
@@jamesparson ah, thanks for that. Didn't realize that about Denver.
Los Angeles built most of its commuter rail lines for Metrolink in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the largest networks in the U.S.
I just found out about this channel and loved it! I'm from Mexico and it's nice that someone that has reviewed soo many trains visited our capital. I'm definitely watching all your videos haha 😅
Glad you like it!
Thank you for this great video ! The line clearly has great potential, and those CAF electric units are very good indeed. They are very similar to CAF units in Barcelona and Madrid, and that has to be a recommendation ! Looking forward to your next ride !
I suppose that's one way to stop people making trip reports on your trains.... Fill it with loud copyrighted music 😆
Police tactics
Did you miss the santa fe station opening? The views are amazing through la marquesa.
Yes. Pay attention and you’ll hear me say MULTIPLE TIMES that I was here in early August, before Santa Fe opened.
She means that The Santa Fe Station is already open@@Thom-TRA
@@Jaime-duende well were you paying attention? Because I mention Santa Fe opening multiple times in this video.
I’m from Mexico and live in the US. Thank you from bringing me a bit of what’s going on in my country.
American ComRails need to be like this
Mexican here, keep in mind that this and the airport one are the only 2 conmuter trains that we have in the entire country, american ones migh not be the better ones but at least they are common.
Both of you make good points!
The music in most touristic places around Mexico it’s on purpose. As you said, it’s because of copyright. Mexico have a lot of social/urban programs where they want you to “sit on the table, put your phone away and talk to each other.” There was a huge campaign doing ads whit that message. Most tourism in Mexico sells relaxation, so they’re going to put music on purpose forcing people to put their phones away.
Most of the commercial spots where showing people walking watching their phones and getting run over, talking on the phone and not noticing a child being kidnapped, etc. the ads had very strong messages. So people agreed to have music. If you pay attention it’s not normal to see people walking whit their phones on the streets/sidewalks while crossing the street of in general. Most people do it unaware of why it is normal because it haves become a cultural manner, people don’t walk whit their phones.
The jazz 🤣
I like jazz but I think I would find that annoying eventually.
@@izziebis way better than Banda and regeton music 😂
It sounds almost as bad as the Atlanta airport's outside train - it would not stop loudly giving directions, notices and information, on repeat, the entire journey (and I was riding at 5am 😢)
I’ve ride this train a couple of times I’m a local and even though I like jazz, the cringe is big
This is great! New electric elevated suburban rail is a great way of alleviating road congestion.
The 4-4 seating and super loud jazz could use some work, however. . .
I don’t mind the 4x4 too much, it’s what I’m used to being from Europe
As a Toluca's resident, I can confirm that the train by now is awesome and really effective (time will tell if that prize remains in its hands) and it reduces the traveling time from 2h to 40 min and it connects with a shopping mall, which is a very good thing that is similar to the strategy of japanese train stations. I hope mexico city and its surroundings adopt this type of system, it will alleviate the traffic in the centre of the country.
Interesting!! Thank you
🇲🇽 🇲🇽 🇲🇽 Thanks For Outstanding Video As Usual. 😊 Viva Mexican TRANSIT 🇲🇽 😊
Just making things clear; Hidalgo defeted the spanish army in the battle of Las Cruces, near México city; and hesitated in attacking it next, probably trying to save lifes of the spanish population since riots have happened in previos battles; others say that his army ran out of munitions.
Thank you so much for doing the video series.
As a curious fact: The "Insurgente" train models are from the CAF (Constructora Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) brand. The same trains manufactured for the CDMX metro line 12 (FE-10).
I don’t think they’re the same trains. Maybe same company.
@@Thom-TRA What I mean is that it is the same company, not the model. Both are created for the CBTC mode (WiFi-based Communications) and with Catenary.
@@nm-22elchinooriginal79 pretty sure CBTC is not wifi-based communication, but an advanced version of the fixed block signalling systems via radio (moving block signalling).
Also, I doubt it's using CBTC but more like ETCS which is more mainline based...
I like a commuter train in Mexico obviously the new cars smell nice and clean. Are the stations open this year Thom.
Wow. I worked in Toluca around the turn of the century, and the best way into Mexico City was a bus. Thee were usually wrestling videos on the buses.
Interesting. Did you enjoy working in Toluca?
@Thom-TRA It was crazy, but a lot of fun. I was setting up a new factory not far from the Zapata statue. On weekends and vacations I wandered around many of the mountain towns. Ah, the food!
Keep them coming!!!!
Will do!
The expansion of the suburban train to the new AIFA airport will use the same train model as the insurgent one.
There will be 10 trains, with the same paint pattern, the only difference is that the wheels were adapted to use the same type of suburban train track.
Yes! I saw one in the yard when I took the suburban train
Because they took them from the Insurgente 💀
@@linuxsisschannel8602 Yes, but they are trains that were kept in reserve for a future increase in demand.
The El Insurgente stations are very long, this is because it was planned to use two connected trains to form a single longer train and cover the increase in demand in the future.
That is why it does not affect taking those trains that were in reserve, since they can be replaced later in the event that there is such an increase in demand.
I remember one time when my dad was in Mexico City 6 years ago, he took a picture of a train bridge under construction of a high speed rail system and he showed it to me when he got back. That must be the same train system if that’s the newest. I think that’s how long he’s been traveling there for work and hasn’t been going exactly every year since.
Yeah I think it’s the same one!
@@Thom-TRA I think you’re right.
Yes is the same the government before amlo went 3 times over budget and only did about one third of the project
@@crystalgarcia2143 oh that’s interesting!
@@crystalgarcia2143fake News 😂
Great information for when I go back sometime, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, clear and concise, congratulations!!!!
Thank you!
Mexico 🇲🇽 transforming the way we travel 🚄 around the country. Hopefully one day we will connect our 3 countries: Canada, USA and Mexico.
Very cool coverage💀 👍🏻. These trains look clean and I’ve noticed, their is hardly any graffiti in that area from what I’m looking at from your footage and I’m sure their is graffiti here and their in Mexico but it doesn’t look as bad compared to the US.
The jazz music will make me feel a certain way when riding alone in the night... Scary.
Thanks for sharing views of my country
Good luck and blessings with your channel
Thank you!
Great video
Thanks!
Maybe the real Insurgente was the jazz music we heard along the way. :)
I absolutely wish we could get over our fear of elevated rail in the US and just build new ROW and services. **sigh**
Straight sax… I mean, facts!
Have you done the Interoceanico the one run by ex British Rail HST's yet?
The music on board is now used as a common thing to prevent loitering and begging. Apparently playing music stops people hangling around especially if it's classical or jazz.
The Rio De Janiero Metro uses this as do some city bus stations in Northern England.
Este tren en México tuvo características estratégicas pues conecta a las zona corporativa de la CDMX con la zona industrial del EDOMEX y a las comunidades populares para que la gente tenga más facil, rápida y barata para trasladarse lo más cómoda y eficientemente pues cerca de Toluca esta otro aeropuerto.
Excelentemente pensado y enormes beneficios para la población y la inversión.
Saludos!
train nerds are the coolest nerds
Agreed
Great video!
Thanks!
Great video thanks
Glad you liked it!
Hello, thank you for covering this! I wish u get to see it when El Insurgente opens fully (not exactly when they open as they like to open asap and it takes a bit of weeks to have all ready - all the non functional stuff such as decoration or such) and when the AIFA train opens too, the one from Mexico city to AIFA airport.
Really nice video about a really nice train! 👍👍👍👍👍
Great job on another amazing video thom🏆
Appreciate it!!
Love the jazz
Well this train is for you!
Ironic, it is called the insurgent because of the fight against Spanish, but the train was manufactured by a Spanish company
@@IxtlanDelRioaguante el Peje 🎉
I know just as ironic as Donald t-Rump he always screams "make america great" MAGA but on the other hand he mass produces all the merchandise he sells in China by Chinese workers with Chinese raw materials and by Chinese manufacturing companies
more than an ironic thing it's a show for the masses
and it happens all over the world more often than you think
Wouldn’t be that way if a bunch of neoliberals hadn’t privatized our national train companies in the 90’s, selling them to foreign interests and dismantling our train production capabilities that took decades to build.
Unfortunately
@@PaulyWally30 In some things yes, in some things no. Like every six-year term.
Fun video! Seems like you were really jazzed to try a brand new line and train.
Buen vídeo 👍
Nice job!
Thanks!
There will be more trains like this in México, nice video....
En todo mexico
It looks nice! That would be nice to have a washroom, and a plug outlet to change up your cellphone, laptop computer. BTW, Great Video!!😊
Thank you! I agree, those little things would make it even better.
We're gonna get one of these too on the other side of the (other) pond within the next 5 years. Ours will be longer though with 8 cars, have 2 toilets per train and the stations will have platform gates. Which makes sense since the train will go for like 60 miles or more.
They'll complement the Japanese subway-looking trains that were already sent here 2 years ago. So cheers to both of us.
You’re talking about the Philippines?
@@Thom-TRA Yeah. CAF won the contract for express trains not too long ago and their first renders were indeed also the El Insurgente trains.
In many ways, El Insurgente reminds me of the Delhi RRTS, which I can only describe as "Interurban Level Extreme". They are planning 3 lines for a connection across the National Capital Region, with specifications that are quite similar to El Insurgente (though the routes are significantly longer).
I have to look it up!
To bad you missed on the next stop after Zinacantepec... It has a great View of a forest AND goes tru a really long tunnel... I think ITS the longest in latín América
There is no stop after Zinacantepec, it’s the last stop.
@@Thom-TRA im, sorry i meant to say Lerma, lerma to santa fe is what i described... great view
@@Playami but didn’t you hear, many times I said in the video, that part wasn’t open yet?
@@Thom-TRA maybe ITS my broken english.. what im saying Is that ITS to bad you barely missed out.. that Is all.. it feels like you answer comment in a defensive way.. maybe you are not but i kind of feels that way.
@@Playami I was not trying to be defensive, just making sure you heard the reason why. I’m sorry.
Something like El Insurgente would make sense between Largo and Annapolis. However, the Harry Truman Park & Ride is 4mi from downtown so we are either stuck with that, then again crossing the South River and the immediate Annapolis suburbs might kill off any connection between WMATA territory and Annapolis
You must review el Tren Maya and el tren interoceanico those are amazing too
I’ve done a Tren Maya review
grate video. Friend
Very nice. Imagine if they played the Mexican Hat Dance the whole trip? Although Herb Alpbert and The Tijuana Brass would work for me.
Question is, does this train scream Cercanias/Rodalies loud enough to quell the jazz? Reckon this is a similar tactic to the classical played in various parts of the NL and DE systems. Plus it makes sure you don't linger on what is bound to be a high capacity system once it's fully built, as you say. Thanks for the insights, it all makes me impatient for the next \m/
I’m not sure. Though the security guards posted at every station could probably get that job done.
SMOOTH JAZZ 🎵
My way to roll :)
Also the ascending/descending chimes reminds me of the final round of “Weakest Link” when the players decide who wants to answer first.
They make me think of mall announcements 😂
@@Thom-TRA how’d you know malls are my first love? 😅 my local mall a long time ago used to have a 3-4 second long telephone tone noise that lives rent free in my brain since the late 90s.
Imagine traveling to San Francisco from la much faster or from the valley to one of these big cities? This is good to see. I hope thst bullet train finally gos through. Here on ca. seems theyre still working on parts of the track such as but it seems like 10 15 years away.
Important to note that the total distance of the train in this video is comparable to SF to San Jose.
So awesome seeing this train connection being finished, this should be a game-changer, considering the horrendous amount of traffic between both cities. From the looks of it, as a German I wouldn't call it a "train", but more a kind of "S-Bahn". The buttons on the doors and even the sound of the engines remind me a lot of the Berlin S-Bahn! Understandable then, that the seats aren't that comfortable and that there are no toilets.
S-Bahns are trains 😂
@@Thom-TRA You are right, it is a type of train. But, in our everyday language in Germany "train" is understood as "Zug" or "Bahn". A "Zug" indeed has all the amenities and characteristics you mentioned. But normally no one in Germany would call an S-Bahn a "Zug". So, in Germany we make quite a distinction between those two types (and therefore would not expect toilets on an S-Bahn). I didn't know what type the train to Toluca was - given the relatively short distance, it makes sense having the S-Bahn type ;).
Hopefully I get the chance to ride it one day!
They should have played „epic sax“ to make it a truely special experience.
Man if they played that song it would have been my favorite train in the whole world
Cool video
Thanks!
@@Thom-TRA Hopefully next year (2025) the MBTA will open a rail line from Fall River and New Bedford to Boston MA. I would be great to watch a video of it.
I myself love and support transit and I appreciate your encouragement and enthusiasm for modern transit in the USA. I still want to note it is a challenge to decide where to run the lines and how to deal with the impacts.
I've seen in Chicago how many buildings were demolished just to stage for the RPB flyover. And how much land has been left scarred in the UK with overzealous transit expansion that's now closed. You've discussed the negatives of Tren Maya. I'd be curious to see the impacts of clearance for El Insurgente.
I say this more so as a reminder, you can wish for it, but still there is just so much impact in established communities when a line is cut through that it's not so easy to just expect it to happen.
I think that’s where the importance of historical monuments, environmental reviews, and our modern understanding of history comes in. We can’t let the fact that things are built get in the way of ever building something new, that will lead to our cities crumbling. But we can’t rush things like Tren Maya either.
Instead projects should take time to calculate what will have the greatest benefit with the least harm. We’re smart enough to do that.
I would like to meet you in November in LA when the second segment of the K Line, the potion between West Westchester/Veteran's and the junction with the Green Line south of LA Airport. This segment includes 96th Street LAX Transit Center and Aviation/Century stations. When this link opens, the "C" line will run from 96th Street to Norwalk and the "K" line will operate between Redondo Beach and Expo/Crenshaw.
Hmm, this service really reminds me of Gautrain in Johannesburg-Pretoria; it's another service that does hit 160kph service speed and is intended to be a classy alternative to driving. They use the British electrostars, so the trains are definitely nicer, but the architecture and stuff feels very similar. However, I feel like this train is a big miss for needing a metro transfer. Gautrain delivers people right into CBDs, and right to the airport (although they have a much more disconnected set of transit systems there; wealth disparity is very very visible there).
What Joburg miss compared to Mexico City is their confusing suburban rail system , is still in used? Would love to see these system replaced to metro lines
This train has a station right in the middle of santa fe one of the citys biggest cbds and an área that was mostly disconnected from the transit system of the city,It does not reach Downtown but keep in mind about half a million people commute daily the route that this train makes, the only ways to reach santa fe prior to this train where buses and cars, also as you said It Will connect with the metro, México City has one of the most extensive metros in the world 12 línes and More than 200 km, when It conects to the metro the ridership Is expected to explode, so yes transfers will be needed but as a whole the transit system Is very integranted
Based upon other, older rail coach equipment from CAF, in my opinion, exteriors are acceptable while interior seating design may look new but may not hold under heavy use, comfort notwithstanding.
They should extend the line across the center in the long term, maybe this would need to be in a tunnel.
But it's great to see that the current line is fully elevated!
That might be really expensive. And where in the center should it go? The zocalo?
The City has 12 metro línes many passing through Downtown, It Will be hard todo It through a tunnel, some metro línes aré already very deep because they had to built them under the existing lines
@@Thom-TRA Of course its expensive, but it could be very useful. It could be like Londons Crossrail, which is parallel to the central line, but with fewer stops. Or like Paris RER.
@@nicolasblume1046 but like I said, where would it go? There isn’t just one downtown Mexico City.
@@Thom-TRA It could go to buenavista via La Condesa, Insurgentes and Revolucion. Or it could go to the airport via San Pedro de los Pinos, Etiopia, Xola, Coyuya and Ciudad Deportiva
That's a good project. Modern and functional ststions and also modern trains. With those EMUs Caf just seemed to have done an upgrade of RENFE 's Civias, wich are presently the Spanish operator most modern commuter rolling stock (but already new EMUs from Stadler & Alstom are being built or in the 1st steges of testing, and Caf 's next generation Civity EMUs are on order). The interior is quite similar to the ones from Renfe. Only the frontal lights have a different look. Possibly the electrification system is also different from the Spanish one (in Spain the Civias work under 3 Kv dc. This system being new it's probably 25 kV ac). As for train speed the line just seems to be working on some sort of ',teal's test mode, but if it will reach 160 Km/h, that's quite a good level (in Spain, the Civias top speed is 120)
I don’t love the new Stadlers for renfe. I think they’re great trains it just bothers me that the doors are different colors 😂
Una disculpa por escribir en español, pero no se inglés.
Desafortunadamente van a operar a una velocidad máxima de 120k/h, las pendientes se hasta 4 grados y las curvas constantes en el trazado limitan la velocidad, donde probablemente si destaque es en ramal al AIFA que tiene grandes rectas.
Great video. Amen about building more projects like this in the U.S. Doing elevated lines with modern electrified European rolling stock would be a great way to modernize U.S. commuter rail systems and increase their usefulness. Overall this looks great. Maybe if they end up having another line and they keep the saxphone jazz around they could call it the Kenny G line.
I would love to see something like this between DC and Annapolis!
@@Thom-TRA That would be cool. Would be nice to go out to Annapolis for a day on a DC trip and Union Station would be a great hub to easily get to other places in the DC metro area. It'd be great to at least see the MARC Penn Line converted to modern European-style EMU trains.
hell of a job!
Some US cities have new commuter trains in service. Examples are TexRail & Caltrain (Stadler), Metro North & LIRR (Kawasaki M8’s and M9’s). But I agree that a lot of them are lacking.
Right, those are trains. They still run on old lines for the most part.
How come 😮 so wow😮 thanks😊
You should make a video of the commuter train that goes from Buenavista (CDMX) to Cuautitlan (EdoMex), the trains are inspired by the Renfe 447 from Madrid, Spain.
You should watch my previous video that I uploaded on September 25
they already lowered a bit the volume of background music. definitely a great experience !
That’s good to know!