Your Itinerary

Your trip starts at Puerta México, the Tijuana Train Depot, established in 1910, right on the International Boundary. The famous Boundary Monument #255 rises adjacent to the Depot. The train departs promptly at 9:30am, passing through the developed urban area of Tijuana, past the historic Caliente Race Track and famous bungalows, secluded weekend homes to Hollywood movie stars during the Prohibition Era. At km 19 the train passes below Rodríquez Dam and the first of two tunnels on this portion of the line. Once past Tunnel 2 and the commercial area of El Florido, the landscape opens up to the developing valleys east of Tijuana and Valle Redondo. The line then ascends up the switchback and horseshoe curve, then above the new Toyota plant. Passing under Puente Ramos of the free road, the route then heads into the oak-laden entrance to Tecate, La Puerta, passing by the famous health spa. Passing through an enchanted tunnel of Coast Live Oaks, the train arrives at 11:30am (más or menos!) at the Tecate Brewery and the little hamlet of Tecate. You will be met by guides who will offer you a tour of the brewery, a walk to one of the many restaurants or areas to go shopping for souvenirs. The train sounds its whistle at 1:30pm for the leisurely return trip on Saturday by train or by rapid bus.

Those persons return to Tijuana by train may want to avail themselves of an overnight stay one of the several hotels in the Zone del Rio area of Tijuana, a quick cab ride away from the Depot and a tour of the Tijuana region.



Future Ventures
The Carrizo Gorge
Currently there is no opportunity for tourist trips through this famous gorge with its 16 tunnels, and the famous Goat Canyon Trestle. Negotiations are presently on-going with the owner of the line, the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway and its controlling organization, Metropolitan Transit Board, for clearance for public tourist operations. Once approved, however, the business plan of Tierra Madre Railway and Carrizo Gorge Railway is to operate from Jacumba Depot to Coyote Wells or Dos Cabezas on weekends. The oppressive heat in the gorge during July through September, however, is expected to limit travel during the milder climate months. Whenever the trip is made through the gorge, the famous Peninsular Big Horn Sheep are seen. If you are inclined to see the gorge by yourself and not from the comfort of a passenger railcar, realize that trespassing on the railroad right of way is illegal and very dangerous. Carrizo Gorge Railway police patrol the line regularly and have a lot of blank citation booklets just waiting for your signature!

The Desert Dunes Express
Mexicali to Puerto Peñasco
Scheduled in late Spring 2006 are scheduled trips between Mexicali and Puerto Peñasco, with overnight stays in Puerto Peñasco, with motive power supplied by Ferrocarriles de México (FerroMex). The tour to Puerto Peñasco involves approximately 7 hours and travels through the urban area of Mexicali and agricultural areas of the Mexicali Valley, a part of the historic estuary of the delta of the Colorado River. Crossing the now dry channel of the once might Colorado River, the route enters Sonora and another time zone and onto the great Altar Desert at the head of the Gulf of California (or Sea of Cortez, for the more romantic!) with its majestic sand dunes, the bane of railroad builders. A short stop will be made at the dunes to visit the unique vegetation ?, (yes, there are plants there!), and fauna....then onto Puerto Peñasco; so bring your bathing suit or fishing gear. There is a fishing license requirement but that can be obtained at Puerto Peñasco. You’ll have the option of return by bus upon arrival to Puerto Peñasco or stay the night and return by train.

J.D. Spreckels Discussion and History of rail line construction. Click here for more info

Dispatcher Ivan Verdugo-Rizo at the International Border crossing gate system (The Gates of Kong!)	TMRX1 with a consist of gas cars for Z-Gas, crossing the Tijuana River at the old Racetrack and Casino location.
Roberto Contreras stops the train to talk with his nephews at his old home in Valle Redondo.	Geoffrey T. Scheuerman cooling a hot box on a mixed train to Tecate (The flatcar was on its way out of Mexico due to SCT prohibition on hot boxes!)
The restored Tecate Depot nested within the walls of the Tecate Brewery (home of ADMICARGA..the Depot, not the Brewery!).	Tijuana Depot before its power washing on the north side.