Cancun, Q.R. — The first of the cars meant to run the Cancun-Merida section of Maya Train has arrived. A total of four very oversized railway cars took to the highway July 3 as part of a convoy headed by Sedena.
The cars began leaving the assembly plant in Ciudad Sahagún, Hidalgo at 5:00 a.m. Monday. They were escorted by National Guard through nine states. The first car arrived in Cancun Saturday as planned. Fonatur Director Javier May confirmed the arrival of the first car in Cancun in a 2:00 p.m. interview with ADN 40 Saturday.
May reported that the other three passenger cars are expected to follow shortly. Part of the delay is the size of the load. May said the other cars are expected to arrive Sunday.
Travel time took longer with the convoy averaging less kilometers a day than expected due to its size. The truck and train car combo is 35 meters long and weighs around 50 tons.
However, the first car to leave the plant Monday morning arrived Saturday as planned. The car was taken to the Mayan Train workshop located behind the Cancun International Airport where it was unwrapped from its protective coating.
Governor Mara Lezama was at the site with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as both watched the first car arrive.
“It is a stellar moment because the first train has arrived. It is a historical fact. Thanks to all the people who are participating, from workers, engineers, officials,” said López Obrador who, during the tour to visit the Mayan Train progress, reached the terminal to supervise the arrival of the first car.
The convoy of more than 80 people, who took turns driving 24-hour-a-day, traveled 1,943 kilometers from Ciudad Sahagún to Cancun to meet the estimated time of arrival for the first car, Lezama said.
As part of the Mayan Train progress, test runs between Cancun and the Yucatan city of Merida are expected to begin in mid-August.
