Candelaria, Campeche — Dozens of Maya Train passengers were forced to finish their Wednesday travels to Merida by bus. Several buses were brought in to assist Tren Maya passengers after a more than two-hour wait due to a cracked wheel.
The train stopped at the Candelaria station in Campeche from where it was unable to move again due to a mechanical issues. After hours of sitting on the tracks, passengers were informed their train was out of order and they would be transferred to the next station, which was in Merida, by bus.
The train had departed the Palenque, Chiapas station earlier that morning with most passengers heading for Cancun when along the way, a wheel cracked. The incident happened around 11:50 a.m. when the problem forced the operator to stop.
After conducting a thorough inspection, it was determined that the train could not continue its journey. While the passengers waited at the station, the decision was made to transfer them by bus to Merida.
Maya Train passengers were finally loaded onto buses at 2:20 p.m. According to available information, the effected train continues to undergo repairs. There was no word on ticket refunds to Maya Train passengers. Tren Maya authorities have not made any comment on the mid-week mishap.
According to railway engineering science, axel loads and friction (fatigue wear) along with defects in the wheel rim are the most common reasons a train’s metal wheels can crack.