Ensuring the supply of sodium carbonate in Mexico , an essential input for the glass industry, detergent manufacturers, cleaning products, paper and cellulose, among others, requires coordinating railway schedules with factory consumption.

For Koprimo —a Mexican company dedicated to the import, marketing, packaging, storage, and distribution of raw materials for various industries—the challenge lies in maintaining sufficient inventory to respond to blockades or incidents on the railways, without accumulating stock that exceeds customer demand. Based on this premise, it is preparing to expand its rail storage and receiving capacity in Mexico .

In 2024, Mexico imported 1.95 million tons of sodium carbonate, almost all of it from the United States, according to WITS, the World Bank ‘s trade information platform .

In Koprimo’s operation, the networks of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Mexico and Ferromex connect the supply chain to its facilities. Moving large volumes requires not only hauling capacity but also timely information on the progress of shipments to coordinate their reception and deliveries to the industry.

“Railways are concerned and focused on the continuous improvement of their services and technological platforms, because it’s not just about transportation, but about real-time visibility into the transit of our goods,” says Cyntia Mendoza, Supply Chain Manager at Koprimo, in an interview with T21.

Traceability is part of that planning: knowing the location of the cargo helps organize inventories and shipments . However, having this information doesn’t eliminate transportation disruptions. The company complements rail tracking with product reserves and physical capacity to sustain deliveries when the flow of goods is disrupted.

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El cargo Koprimo aims for growth on rails apareció primero en T21.

Rail projects, both passenger and freight, in Mexico require rights-of-way that anticipate urban growth, integration with freight and passenger transport, as well as comprehensive executive plans that ensure their operation for decades.

This was stated by Jesús Campos López, president of the XLI Board of Directors of the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , who added that the safety of the new lines is defined from an engineering perspective.

The specialist indicated that the planning of bridges, viaducts, stations , and other structures must consider variables such as climate change, risks, and the seismic conditions of each region. Likewise, elements such as embankments, drainage systems, crossings, and signage are crucial for safe operation.

Similarly, he explained that another challenge is maintenance , since a railway line begins to deteriorate from the first day of operation, so the resources and specialized personnel for its conservation must be considered from the planning stage.

“The resources and specialized personnel must be considered from the project stage; once built, preserving it is an achievement, and that is what guarantees that this achievement will serve several generations,” Campos López emphasized.

During the conference “Cultural Heritage of Mexican Railway Transport: within the framework of National Railway Worker Day 2026” and under this scenario, he reaffirmed his commitment to contribute to the technical quality of the works and the training of specialists in operation and conservation, at a time when the country is promoting a new stage of railway development.

“Through the Transportation Infrastructure Committee, we are putting our experience at the service of this national effort,” he explained.

It is worth mentioning that the federal government will carry out an investment of 586 billion pesos in railway infrastructure for the period 2025-2030, of which 105 billion pesos will be spent this year .

Among the projects to be developed are the AIFA-Pachuca , Mexico City-Querétaro, Querétaro-Irapuato, Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo, Irapuato-Guadalajara, Guadalajara-Tepic and Hermosillo-Nogales trains.

It was recently announced that the Mexico City-Pachuca train is 45% complete , the Mexico City-Querétaro train is 31% complete, the Querétaro-Irapuato train is 22% complete, the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo train is 10% complete, and the Maya freight train is 67% complete.

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El cargo Rights of way and executive projects, key to new railway projects in Mexico: CICM apareció primero en T21.

The technology to move refrigerated cargo by rail is a reality, but its mass adoption in Mexico still depends on investments, coordination between actors and the construction of infrastructure that guarantees the continuity of the cold chain.

During the panel ” Cold Chain on Rails: Challenges and Opportunities of Refrigerated Containers, ” which took place during Container Week, organized by the Mexican Association of Intermodal Transport (AMTI), Ricardo Bucio, CEO of Hadron Logistics, mentioned that one of the most relevant advances is the incorporation of 53-foot containers equipped with integrated refrigeration and power generation systems.

He mentioned that the cold chain is the most critical element of the entire logistics operation . From the pre-cooling of the merchandise at its origin to its arrival at the final consumer, any interruption can affect the quality of the product and even generate health risks.

“Everything must be very well taken care of so that the merchandise arrives at its destination in optimal condition for consumption,” he explained.

In addition to conventional refrigeration systems, the industry has developed technologies for refrigerated containers, such as those that self-produce nitrogen, which helps to extend the life of some products, such as fruits.

He also mentioned that there are specialized containers capable of operating at temperatures as low as -70 degrees Celsius , known as super freezers . These units were used during the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and are now finding applications in highly sensitive products such as certain foods and pharmaceuticals.

He said that refrigerated containers now incorporate more intelligent systems that allow real-time monitoring of location, temperature, equipment operation, fuel consumption, and even potential security incidents.

However, Bucio identified certain challenges for the implementation of these containers , such as the significant investments in equipment, fuel, maintenance, storage and monitoring, as well as adapting railway cars with electrical installations capable of supplying power continuously.

However, he reiterated that the benefits are potential, since a single train can transport the equivalent of dozens of trucks, generating operational efficiencies and reducing road congestion. In the United States, this model already operates routinely on long-distance routes, while in Mexico it is beginning to be explored.

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El cargo Refrigerated containers: the rail opportunity apareció primero en T21.

Although intermodal transport is an efficient alternative for moving cargo in Mexico, daily operations face challenges that go far beyond the movement of containers, including: the balance between imports and exports, equipment availability, terminal capacity, and an increasingly demanding regulatory environment.

Alberto Castillo, Deputy Director of Warehouses and Foreign Trade at Grupo México Transportes (GMXT) , stated that in the last 12 months almost the entire customs framework in the country has been modified, just on October 23rd “they surprised us with a new provision in the Official Gazette of the Federation that is related to undervaluation.”

During his participation in the second day of Container Week organized by the Mexican Association of Intermodal Transport (AMTI) , he recalled that among the most relevant changes is the reform to the Customs Law published on November 19, 2025 , which came into effect on January 1, 2026, along with the new General Rules of Foreign Trade.

“We had high expectations not only for the control, but also for the facilitation of customs operations; however, controls were increased, but customs facilitation was reduced, because the more you control, the less you facilitate,” he said.

Subsequently, on February 23, 2026, the Customs Law Regulations were updated to establish in greater detail various operational procedures and obligations related to the presentation of information.

Also, starting April 1, a new requirement for Strategic Fiscalized Premises began to be applied, in addition to modifications related to the registration of carriers , reinforcing the requirements for those who participate in operations linked to customs clearance, to mention a few.

Castillo also commented that previously it was possible to make various changes to the customs declarations before customs clearance, “now that’s no longer the case, there are certain restrictions on doing so, and if you want to do it after clearance there are even more limitations.”

Regarding the implementation of the electronic value declaration, he mentioned that it will begin on November 1st, and will be implemented in stages: November 15th for the strategic bonded warehouse, December 1st for transits, December 15th for the bonded warehouse, January 1st, 2027 for temporary imports, and January 15th for definitive imports.

“It will have an impact, yes. I would hope not as much as at the beginning. The fact that the implementation of this declaration of value was postponed for so long allowed many companies to already have the technological means to do it quickly. Yes, there will be an impact, as with any new legislation, but little by little it will become more agile,” he explained.

Regarding undervaluation, Castillo indicated that in this case it will be the customs authority that “assumes” that certain merchandise is under such circumstance, “that is the problem and the sanctions are very high.”

The above is related to the fact that the Mexican Congress concluded the approval of the changes to the Customs Law, so the decree was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on October 23, with an entry into force scheduled for January 1, 2027.

The modifications, focused on preventing undervaluation, strengthen the review of the declared value and eliminate the 50% threshold that conditioned the cause of precautionary seizure for differences in declared value at customs between similar goods.

Given this scenario, he indicated that it is necessary to monitor and map where each flow is dispatched, confirm that the carriers are registered with the authority, and require seals, customs declarations, among other documents.

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El cargo The challenges facing freight transport in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

Operating an intermodal terminal involves complex coordination from the arrival of the train to the departure of the containers. One of the challenges is balancing imports and exports. When a terminal receives more imports than exports, empty railcars and equipment begin to accumulate, taking up space and impacting operational capacity.

Conversely, when exports predominate, there may be a shortage of equipment to meet demand, generating delays and additional costs.

Miguel Durán, senior superintendent of Intermodal & Automotive Ops Mexico at Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), said that to maintain an efficient flow of containers, decisions must be made about which units to unload first, depending on operational priorities , customer needs, customs times, and logistical requirements, since otherwise every minute lost translates into higher costs and impacts on the entire supply chain.

“What happens if a terminal imports more than it exports? Imagine we receive three trains of 240 containers each, 720 containers in total. What will happen to those platforms that arrived by train if we don’t have any export cargo? Where do we put them? We need to free up the empty railcars so they can be stored elsewhere because we don’t have any exports, and that makes us inefficient,” he explained.

However, he also commented that there are terminals with more exports, where one problem is not having enough equipment to handle them, impacting capacity and transit times.

“Having a balance is complicated because we depend on several factors: that the client loads their products quickly in the warehouse, that the customs agent promptly clears the goods, and having the equipment, but it must be realistic with the demand,” he said during his participation in the panel “The terminal from within: Operation, coordination and container movement” during Container Week organized by the Mexican Intermodal Transport Association (AMTI) .

He also mentioned that safety plays a central role. Operators face risks during physical inspections and container openings, as there may be improperly secured goods or even structural damage that poses a danger to personnel. Therefore, strict protocols are in place at all stages of the operation.

During the process, operators must inspect seals, visible damage, spills, and potential risks associated with the cargo, regardless of whether it arrives apparently in good condition.

In addition to efficient asset management, including chassis, locomotives, cranes, and platforms, maintaining idle equipment represents significant costs for companies and reduces the productivity of the logistics network.

He also said that the operation is exposed to multiple external factors , including weather conditions, mechanical failures, fuel availability, crew shortages, infrastructure overload, computer system problems, and regulatory changes. Any of these elements can affect the normal flow of goods.

In this regard, Durán explained that a terminal can be highly productive and efficient, but if it fails in security, the entire operation loses value.

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El cargo Intermodal operations: efficiency, safety, and balance as keys to the business apareció primero en T21.

Driven by grain and intermodal transport, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) reported a 15% increase in revenue during the third quarter of the year, compared to the same period in 2025.

Keith Creel, president and CEO of the railroad, mentioned that despite the macroeconomic outlook for the quarter under review, solid results were achieved.

“The rail is performing very well, our service remains strong, and we continue to generate growth in key markets, including grain, intermodal, and freight. Supported by disciplined execution and a solid commercial pipeline, we remain on track to meet our commitments for the year,” he said.

According to their report, revenues during the period were $4.2 billion, compared to $3.7 billion in the third quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, volumes, measured in revenue ton-miles, increased by 6% during the same period.

“During the quarter, we set all-time volume records for domestic intermodal, international intermodal, and grain shipments in the United States. These results reflect strong service, market discipline, and the unique options this network provides to our customers,” he explained.

In the case of intermodal, CPKC’s revenue increased by 21% with a volume growth of 10% , a record historical performance, while domestic intermodal increased by 7% in the quarter.

“Growth was supported by strong performance on our Canadian domestic routes, along with continued strength on our U.S. routes and cross-border service with Mexico. Our SMX with CSX product continues to gain momentum, with volumes up 30 percent. Our reliable service on both our MMX and SMX intermodal products positions us well to continue building trust with our customers and capitalize on favorable truck-to-rail conversion opportunities,” said John Brooks, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer.

Without giving details about the outlook for next year, he indicated that they expect continued growth in Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico , although he anticipated a possible strike on the U.S. West Coast with longshoremen in 2027. “We remain quite optimistic about Lázaro as well in terms of growth. So those are some details that are there, not to mention some of the other things we have coming up.”

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El cargo Grains and intermodal transport drive CPKC’s growth in Q3 2026 apareció primero en T21.

While in the United States and Canada 120 intermodal trains circulate daily and about 51,000 53-foot containers are loaded onto the rail network each day, in Mexico only about 1,700 units are moved, a difference that reflects both the lag and the growth potential of the sector.

“In Mexico, it would take us more than three weeks to load onto the train what they load in just one day,” said Javier Vera, president of VMODAL , during the panel “Tracks and Boxes: The Intermodal Shift” held within the framework of Container Week organized by the Mexican Association of Intermodal Transport (AMTI)  .

In this context, he pointed out that currently 81% of the country’s industrial plants do not have a rail connection, which makes intermodal service the main bet to expand the presence of the railway.

“Those companies that don’t have rail spurs are the ones that can use intermodal transport; there are even companies that do have rail spurs but have large volumes of raw materials and want finished products, they can also use it,” he said.

Vera pointed out that only between 10 and 12% of 53-foot containers in Mexico are moved by rail , while in the United States the share of rail in land freight movement reaches significantly higher levels.

He mentioned that intermodal traffic alone registered a growth of close to 10% during the last year , even in a context where the national railway system reported a general contraction in volume, which means that containerized cargo continues to find an increasingly competitive alternative in the train.

Furthermore, he explained that on long-distance journeys, particularly those exceeding 800 kilometers, rail can generate savings of between 5% and 15% compared to road transport , in addition to offering advantages in terms of safety and sustainability.

However, he mentioned that the challenge for the railway industry is not necessarily about building new tracks, but about increasing the share of trains compared to trucks.

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El cargo Intermodal has a “free pass”; 81% of Mexican industry is not connected to the train apareció primero en T21.

The Agency for Trains and Integrated Public Transport (ATTRAPI) launched four tenders for the construction and design of the same number of sections of the Querétaro-Saltillo passenger train, which cover a total of 287.69 kilometers (km) .

According to international calls for tenders, the Querétaro-Saltillo section, San Luis Potosí-Saltillo section, Charcas-Vanegas subsection , chainage from km 122+000 to km 179+000, includes the construction of viaducts, bridges, railway underpasses, railway overpasses and pedestrian bridges.

The estimated start date for the work is November 17, 2026, with an execution period of 1,003 calendar days.

For this project, ATTRAPI has been allocated 383 million 397 thousand 203.21 pesos in 2026 , to carry out the contracting of the work.

The following tender is for 93 km of the Vanegas-Zacatecano subsection , chainage from km 179+000 to km 272+000, which includes the construction of bridges, railway underpasses, railway overpasses and pedestrian bridges.

The work would begin on November 25th , with an execution period of 1,003 calendar days.

The agency specified that it has an allocated amount of 784 million 505 thousand 435.64 pesos for this project this year.

It also launched the call for bids for the construction and design of 15.69 km, subsection San Luis Potosí Centro–San Luis Potosí Norte , with chainage from km 221+500 to km 237+188, which includes the construction of viaducts, bridges, railway underpasses, railway overpasses and pedestrian bridges.

Construction on this project is scheduled to begin on November 30th and will take 912 calendar days to complete. ATTRAPI has a budget of 165,741,365.40 pesos for this year .

It also launched the tender for 122 km corresponding to the Querétaro-Saltillo train, San Luis Potosí-Saltillo section, San Luis Potosí-Charcas subsection , chainage from km 0+000 to km 122+000. It includes the construction of bridges, railway underpasses, railway overpasses and pedestrian bridges, although it is in a period of clarifications.

The agency specified that work on this project will begin on January 30, 2027, and will take 942 calendar days to complete. The bid opening date will be December 22. ATTRAPI has allocated 410,302,270.10 pesos for this project in 2027.

Among the companies that have shown interest through site visits for these projects are Impulsora Tlaxcalteca de Industrias, Mota-Engil México and Constructora Garza Ponce .

In addition to Contract Management Engineering , Vise , FCC CO Mexico , Operadora CICSA , ICA Constructora , Holcim Mexico Operations , Proveedora de Materiales de Norte , Calzada Construcciones, Jaguar Ingenieros Constructores , Recal Estructuras , GP Construcción e Innovaciones Técnicas en Cimentación.

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El cargo ATTRAPI launches tenders for four sections of the Querétaro-Saltillo train apareció primero en T21.

Grupo México , through its Grupo México Transportes (GMXT) division , decided to withdraw from the freight rail tender process in Argentina, considering that the proposed scheme under the Open Access model lacks the necessary incentives to guarantee long-term efficiency, investment, and competitiveness.

He stated that after analyzing the competition rules, the company’s Board of Directors concluded that the proposed model does not coincide with the model promoted in Mexico and North America.

“The tender in that country contemplates the rail operating model known as Open Access, which consists of an infrastructure used by multiple operators who divide the same cargo among themselves, diminishing the possibility of achieving economies of scale. From our perspective, this model is inefficient, reduces the competitiveness of the system as a whole, increases costs and prices for customers, and requires public subsidies to be maintained. On countless occasions, different companies have collapsed and declared bankruptcy due to this scheme,” he stated.

In contrast, the Vertical Integration model adopted in Mexico and integrated into the United States and Canadian network has generated incentives for investment and operational efficiency , since by controlling the entire system, freight rail companies optimize the use of their assets, improve logistics planning and benefit users and supply chains, he explained.

Volume and revenue on the rise in the third quarter

During the third quarter of 2026 (3Q26), GMXT reported revenues of $978,384,000, an annual increase of 12.3%, while EBITDA reached $388,809,000, an advance of 8.2% compared to the same period in 2025.

The company moved 524,538 railcars, a figure that represented a growth of 5%; the increase was led by the metals segment  with a 15.4% increase in cars, followed by intermodal which grew 11.8% and by cement with a 3.5% increase.

The main driver of performance was the intermodal business ; this segment increased its revenue by 16.3%, driven by greater container movement and by the growth of cross-border traffic in the south.

This was further supported by the dynamism of the metals sector, which registered increases of 15.4% in volume and 14.1% in revenue, supported by the recovery of the scrap market and compliance with the slab program.

Likewise, minerals increased its revenue by 13.2% thanks to greater iron ore movements on long-distance routes.

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El cargo GMXT withdraws from Argentina; reports revenue increase in Q3 2026 apareció primero en T21.

Grupo México , through its Grupo México Transportes (GMXT) division , decided to withdraw from the freight rail tender process in Argentina, considering that the proposed scheme under the Open Access model lacks the necessary incentives to guarantee long-term efficiency, investment, and competitiveness.

He stated that after analyzing the competition rules, the company’s Board of Directors concluded that the proposed model does not coincide with the model promoted in Mexico and North America.

“The tender in that country contemplates the rail operating model known as Open Access, which consists of an infrastructure used by multiple operators who divide the same cargo among themselves, diminishing the possibility of achieving economies of scale. From our perspective, this model is inefficient, reduces the competitiveness of the system as a whole, increases costs and prices for customers, and requires public subsidies to be maintained. On countless occasions, different companies have collapsed and declared bankruptcy due to this scheme,” he stated.

In contrast, the Vertical Integration model adopted in Mexico and integrated into the United States and Canadian network has generated incentives for investment and operational efficiency , since by controlling the entire system, freight rail companies optimize the use of their assets, improve logistics planning and benefit users and supply chains, he explained.

Volume and revenue on the rise in the third quarter

During the third quarter of 2026 (3Q26), GMXT reported revenues of $978,384,000, an annual increase of 12.3%, while EBITDA reached $388,809,000, an advance of 8.2% compared to the same period in 2025.

The company moved 524,538 railcars, a figure that represented a growth of 5%; the increase was led by the metals segment  with a 15.4% increase in cars, followed by intermodal which grew 11.8% and by cement with a 3.5% increase.

The main driver of performance was the intermodal business ; this segment increased its revenue by 16.3%, driven by greater container movement and by the growth of cross-border traffic in the south.

This was further supported by the dynamism of the metals sector, which registered increases of 15.4% in volume and 14.1% in revenue, supported by the recovery of the scrap market and compliance with the slab program.

Likewise, minerals increased its revenue by 13.2% thanks to greater iron ore movements on long-distance routes.

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El cargo GMXT withdraws from Argentina; reports revenue increase in Q3 2026 apareció primero en T21.