The La Plancha Park, currently under construction in Mérida, will house the new Railroad Museum, which will feature 37 cars and locomotives fully restored by workers from the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena).
Colonel and engineering constructor Herminio Jiménez Velázquez, in charge of the ongoing work in the heart of the Yucatecan capital, explained that the objective is to leave these gigantic machines in optimal condition so that locals and tourists can appreciate them and learn about the historical significance of trains in the southeastern region of Mexico.
The military engineer overseeing the project explained that to establish the new museum, the reconstruction of the building that previously served as a warehouse and workshop for the machinery was carried out. This building will now house the most iconic carriages and locomotives that were preserved for a long time by the former Yucatán Railroad Museum.
The restoration and maintenance work on the carriages required the use of cranes to move the heavy cars to their new locations.
It’s worth noting that before the construction of La Plancha began, the Yucatán Railroad Museum was located in front of what used to be Article 123 Park on 43rd Street.
However, the expansion of the new park and its connection to the Maya Train project have made it suitable to place some cars and locomotives that will not fit inside the reconstructed building but will serve as decorations in various areas of La Plancha.
Among the units to be restored both externally and internally are three locomotives, a tanker car, and a passenger carriage that can be visited by people who come to the new Railroad Museum.
Images of the restoration of carriages and locomotives were shared by the official account of the Railroad Museum, an association of retired members of the Union of Railroad Workers of the Mexican Republic (STFRM), who are expected to manage the new space, as they did for more than three decades.
TYT Newsroom
