beautifulplanet
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Just four days ago, many thought it was a big announcement that a high-speed rail line would be built in Mexico between Mexico City and Queretaro (especially since Mexico currently doesn't have passenger rail besides some museum/tourist trains, Mexico City commuter rail, light rail and metro as well as Guadalajara light rail and the Monterrey metro).
The contract to build high-speed rail was awarded to China Railway Construction Corp. and its mexican partners, and the public service was supposed to begin as early as 2018.
Here is a news report from a few days ago:
Chinese-led consortium wins Mexico high-speed rail project
November 3, 2014
By Christine Murray
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/latin-american-business/chinese-led-consortium-wins-mexico-high-speed-rail-project/article21429186/
Surprisingly only a few days later, the contract has been canceled. A new bidding process is supposed to start:
Mexico cancels China contract for high-speed train line
November 7, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29948331
Also interesting is the following aspect of it reported by Bloomberg - that China Railway Construction Corp. did not even receive an official notification yet:
Mexico Cancels $4.3 Billion China Deal on Doubts Over Bid
November 7, 2014
By By Clement Tan and Nacha Cattan
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-07/china-railway-shares-drop-on-report-of-losing-mexico-contract.html
Some might be curious to see how this development continues. With a 2018 public start of operations, this could have been the first 186mph+ high-speed rail service to operate on North American soil, still with the recent events the schedule will be pushed back...
The contract to build high-speed rail was awarded to China Railway Construction Corp. and its mexican partners, and the public service was supposed to begin as early as 2018.
Here is a news report from a few days ago:
Chinese-led consortium wins Mexico high-speed rail project
November 3, 2014
By Christine Murray
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/latin-american-business/chinese-led-consortium-wins-mexico-high-speed-rail-project/article21429186/
Surprisingly only a few days later, the contract has been canceled. A new bidding process is supposed to start:
Mexico cancels China contract for high-speed train line
November 7, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29948331
Rival bids by Germany's Siemens, Canada's Bombardier and France's Alsthom were considered.
According to reports, the three had asked for more time to prepare their submissions, but the requests were denied. Japan's Mitsubishi also expressed an interest.
But only CRCC and its Mexican partners had submitted a bid proposal by the 15 October deadline for the link between Mexico City and Queretaro.
It is possible that CRCC could be eligible for compensation because its contract has been withdrawn, government officials admitted.
Also interesting is the following aspect of it reported by Bloomberg - that China Railway Construction Corp. did not even receive an official notification yet:
source:China Railway Construction tumbled 5.8 percent today, the most since July 2013, to HK$8.02 at the close in Hong Kong. The Beijing-based company said by e-mail that it hadn’t received an official cancellation notice from Mexico.
Mexico Cancels $4.3 Billion China Deal on Doubts Over Bid
November 7, 2014
By By Clement Tan and Nacha Cattan
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-07/china-railway-shares-drop-on-report-of-losing-mexico-contract.html
Some might be curious to see how this development continues. With a 2018 public start of operations, this could have been the first 186mph+ high-speed rail service to operate on North American soil, still with the recent events the schedule will be pushed back...