Xinhua News Agency, Monterrey, Mexico, December 14 Communication: China-made light rail trains in Mexico run out of development "acceleration"
Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhu Yubo Wu Hao
At 9 a.m., a light rail train with a white and blue color and a strong modern shape stopped quietly at the departure station, and Mexican driver Catalino Inojoza pushed the joystick, and he set off again with this "new partner" to accelerate with Monterrey, an industrial powerhouse in northern Mexico.
The train is manufactured by CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd. (CRRC Co., Ltd.). For Inochosa, this new driving experience is a new chapter in the "rail transit dream" written by him and his father, and a new contribution to the interconnection of the Monterrey metropolitan area.
On October 1, a light rail train manufactured by CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd. (CRRC Co., Ltd.) stopped at a light rail station in Monterrey, Mexico (mobile phone photo). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Ricardo Montoya)
Inojoza's father, who was also a train driver, witnessed the development of public transport in monterrey in the change of old and new trains. When Inojoza was a child, his father used to tell him about trains and railways, and sometimes took him into the cab. This planted a seed in his heart to become a train driver like his father.
Growing up, Inochosa's dream came true and after more than a decade of working, he boarded the China Light Rail Train.
The Monterrey Light Rail system was officially commissioned in 1991. In 2019, CRRC Co., Ltd. signed a contract with the Monterrey Metro Bureau for the supply of light rail vehicles. CRRC Machinery Co., Ltd. overcame the challenges of field visits and poor supply chains caused by the new crown epidemic and delivered the first batch of vehicles two months in advance. Driven by the "China Speed", the Monterrey Skytrain Line 3 was opened to traffic in February this year.
According to reports, the new light rail line is about 7.5 kilometers long, carrying more than 116,000 passengers a day, while connecting two other light rail lines and bus transportation hubs, bringing convenience to residents in the northeast of Monterrey.
The light rail train, combined with Chinese design and manufacturing technology, was well received by Inochosa and his colleagues.
This is a light rail dispatch center in Monterrey, Mexico, photographed on October 1 (mobile phone shooting). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Ricardo Montoya)
"The first time we drove such an advanced light rail train, it was very smooth and there was very little noise. Technological innovations such as automatically adjustable air conditioning systems are added to the cabins and cabs for a comfortable experience for both passengers and drivers. He said.
In Inojoza's view, these Chinese light rail trains came to Mexico with the "Belt and Road" initiative, which not only improved the public transportation capacity of Monterrey, but also brought China's experience and technology in the field of infrastructure and transportation, helping the development of Monterrey interconnection and injecting new energy into local economic construction.
"Rail transit is synonymous with development. Without these lines, all movements of people and supplies would cease and the state of Nuevo León, where Monterrey is located, would come to a standstill. Inocosa said.
Known as mexico's "industrial capital," Monterrey is the capital of Nuevo León and an important region for Mexico to attract foreign investment. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Light Rail Line 3 held at the end of February this year, rodriguez, then governor of Nuevo León, said that the state attracts a large number of talents every year, spawning new demand for urban transportation construction, and the development of light rail lines reflects this new change. Chinese trains provide faster and more comfortable travel services, making local transportation smarter.
"My father once told me that being a train driver means responsibility. I am thankful that he put me on this path. Inocosa said.
In Monterrey, Mexico, light rail train driver Catalino Inojoza sits in the cab on Oct. 1. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Ricardo Montoya)