Mexico North Western Railway
Encyclopedia
The Mexico North-Western Railway or Compañía del Ferrocarril Nor-Oeste de México was a railroad that operated in Mexico
between Ciudad Juárez
and Chihuahua, via Nuevo Casas Grandes
in the western portion of the state of Chihuahua.http://mexlist.com/mexico1916/MNW.htm Prior to 1909, it was known as the Rio Grande, Sierra Madre & Pacific Railway. It was built with mostly Canadian capital https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/items-by-subject?subject=Mexico+North+Western+Railway in order to reach logging and mining operations. Its subsidiary operation, the El Paso Southern Railway, extended into the USA at El Paso, Texas
.http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/EE/eqe8.html. In 1954 the railway was merged into the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
and the El Paso Southern sold to the Southern Pacific
railroad. During the latter years of operation (1947-1954), the railway was controlled by tunnel magnate "Subway Sam" Rosoff, who also controlled large lumber interests along the route http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,804126,00.html.
Due to the amount of mining activity on this line, its trains were occasionally victims of holdup attempts, most notably by Mexican Revolution
ary Pancho Villa
, who in 1913 raided a train carrying silver and successfully held a Wells Fargo
employee for ransom. In January 1916, raiders associated with Villa stopped an MNW train and massacred 18 American employees of the ASARCO
company.
During the Punitive Expedition
led by U.S. General John J. Pershing
in 1916 to attempt to capture Pancho Villa
, use of the railway for transporting supplies was a point of contention between the US expedition and the provisional Mexican government of Venustiano Carranza
. US troops employed "truck trains" to supply troops due to Carranza's refusal to allow the Americans use of the rail line.
Currently, most of the ex-MNW is not in use; what is being used is now part of Ferromex
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
between Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
and Chihuahua, via Nuevo Casas Grandes
Nuevo Casas Grandes
Nuevo Casas Grandes, also known as Nueva Casas Grandes, is a city and seat of the Nuevo Casas Grandes Municipality in northern Mexico. It is located in the northwestern part of the state of Chihuahua, on the Casas Grandes or San Miguel river, situated in a wide, fertile valley on the 4,000-foot...
in the western portion of the state of Chihuahua.http://mexlist.com/mexico1916/MNW.htm Prior to 1909, it was known as the Rio Grande, Sierra Madre & Pacific Railway. It was built with mostly Canadian capital https://dspace.ucalgary.ca/items-by-subject?subject=Mexico+North+Western+Railway in order to reach logging and mining operations. Its subsidiary operation, the El Paso Southern Railway, extended into the USA at El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
.http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/EE/eqe8.html. In 1954 the railway was merged into the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, was Mexico's state owned railroad company from 1938 to 1998, and prior to 1938 a major railroad controlled by the government that linked Mexico City to the major cities of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juárez on the U.S. border...
and the El Paso Southern sold to the Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
railroad. During the latter years of operation (1947-1954), the railway was controlled by tunnel magnate "Subway Sam" Rosoff, who also controlled large lumber interests along the route http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,804126,00.html.
Due to the amount of mining activity on this line, its trains were occasionally victims of holdup attempts, most notably by Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
ary Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
, who in 1913 raided a train carrying silver and successfully held a Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
employee for ransom. In January 1916, raiders associated with Villa stopped an MNW train and massacred 18 American employees of the ASARCO
ASARCO
ASARCO LLC is a mining, smelting, and refining company based in Tucson, Arizona that mines and processes primarily copper. The company, a subsidiary of Grupo México, is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy...
company.
During the Punitive Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
led by U.S. General John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
in 1916 to attempt to capture Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
, use of the railway for transporting supplies was a point of contention between the US expedition and the provisional Mexican government of Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
. US troops employed "truck trains" to supply troops due to Carranza's refusal to allow the Americans use of the rail line.
Currently, most of the ex-MNW is not in use; what is being used is now part of Ferromex
Ferromex
Ferromex is a private rail consortium that operates the largest railroad in Mexico.-Description:...
.