The Mexican Railway Association (AMF) said the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum will impact the sector, primarily on cross-border transportation, passenger train inputs, and supplies.

Francisco Fabila, president of the AMF, commented that they submitted a document through the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) to the Ministry of Economy and other entities regarding the impact of this measure, which could even lead to a decrease in cargo handling by this transport.

“We delivered it as part of Concamin so they could inform the government about the potential impacts, and we’re having a good exchange of information. They asked us for more details, and we’re working on it,” he added.

However, in an interview following his bimonthly meeting, he explained that the impact would be felt in the production of railway cars, which use steel, while aluminum is used in wagons.

“In rail freight, it’s not directly affecting us but rather the goods and products we transport. Some impact is that we would be seeing a decrease in freight, but not now, and we continue working on the document,” he said.

For her part, Mayte Ramos, general director of Alstom Mexico , stated that this tariff policy would result in a $250 million increase in the projects they are carrying out in the railway sector.

“If they continue, it would cost us to complete the projects we have already signed, worth around $250 million. That would be the impact. We face a challenge, and that challenge is to foster belonging and value, and I think it’s much more important to develop a productive chain, Mexican companies, and talent,” he said.

However, he assured that they continue working on the projects since they have the necessary supplies, and they will only finish delivering all the Mayan Train convoys next July .

Although, he mentioned that there is a large potential market for the United States and Canada , it is also necessary to look to other places such as Latin America and other regions, in addition to having 14 trade agreements with other countries.

Alstom has participated in various projects with the then Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT), the Mass Transportation System (STC) and the City’s Electric Transportation Service, the Urban Electric Train System (SITEUR) in Guadalajara, and Metrorrey in Monterrey. It has also delivered units for the Maya Train.

Comment and follow us on X:@evandeltoro / @GrupoT21

El cargo The railway sector exposes possible impacts from tariffs apareció primero en T21.

Alstom , a company dedicated to the manufacture of trains , confirmed that it will participate in the tenders carried out by the Government of Mexico for the different passenger train projects, since it has the capacity to build any type of model.

 “When the tenders are issued, we will be very interested in participating, doing our best and making our proposals,” said Maite Ramos, the company’s general manager in Mexico.

In an interview, he said that the company has the capacity to build any type of train, such as the Mayan Train that uses diesel, dual-fuel, electric and one of the first to have a hydrogen train.

“We can build whatever technology you want, with whatever design, composition, material, build in aluminum, carbon, stainless steel,” he said.

The current federal administration has announced, so far, the beginning of preliminary studies for the AIFA-Pachuca Train and the Mexico-Querétaro Train , which will be developed by the military.

The first is estimated to require an investment of 44,667 million pesos (mdp). It will be a double-track electrified railway infrastructure, so it will have electric trains with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour and a capacity of more than 700 passengers.

For the Mexico-Querétaro line, whose expected investment is 75 billion pesos, a fleet of trains with a capacity of 450 passengers and a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour is planned.

Maite Ramos commented that the plant they have in the country is the third largest in the world, 495 thousand square meters, so they have the necessary capacity to face the new railway projects of this six-year term.

Currently, they continue with the production of the convoys for the Maya Train , more than 1,300 cars for the San Francisco subway, as well as others for New Jersey and Toronto.

“There is a lot of capacity, but it is not just that, what interests us most is making trains for Mexico made in Mexico, so we have the space, we have the capacity and not only that, I think that in recent years we have all learned a lot in the railway industry, we already have knowledge and a learning curve that allows us to know how to do things and to do them better each time,” he said.

Regarding the units for the Maya Train, he indicated that the 10 diesel trains have already been delivered, although in the next few days they will be arriving at 23 units, “we are halfway through the fleet and we will continue to deliver according to the schedule and they will be finished in 2025.”

Comment and follow us on X: @evandeltoro / @GrupoT21

El cargo Alstom confirms interest in new passenger trains apareció primero en T21.