Rail world

Albert Kinsey Owen's name may not ring a bell, but during the late 19th century this utopian dreamer embarked on one of North America's most ambitious railway-building projects.

Owen wanted to bring the riches of the Orient closer to America's prairie heartland by establishing a rail link between Topolobampo Bay in northern Mexico and Kansas City, a massive undertaking even by today's standards.

Construction of the railway began in 1885, and the final spike was driven in 1961, long after Owen's death.

The last stretch of track skirts the Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon), a vast network of canyons reportedly deeper than the Grand Canyon. The line plummets 7,000 feet in 122 miles and took more than 20 years to build.

Today, the eight-hour journey between the modern city of Los Mochis near the Sea of Cortez and the mountain town of Creel ranks among the world's most spectacular train rides.

Tremendous physical obstacles were overcome in building the railway, and work on the line continues to this day. In 1998, a private rail franchise called Ferromex took over the Chihuahua al Pacifico railway from the Mexican government. The company renovated stations and upgraded the track to meet industry standards. They also added remodeled passenger cars with air conditioning and reclining seats, plus a well-equipped dining and parlor car.

The new Primera Express train's brightly painted cars roll out of the Los Mochis station every day at 6 a.m. Chepe (as the train has been nicknamed) slowly gains momentum as it trundles across an expansive coastal plain with the imposing silhouette of the Sierra Madre mountains looming in the distance.

Before long, farms and cacti give way to scrubby trees, and mountain breezes dispel muggy lowland air as the diesels strain up precipitous, twisting track into canyon country.

Soon the conductor announces the approaching Rio Fuerte Bridge, the first of 36 major bridges between Los Mochis and the city of Chihuahua. People crane their necks to catch a glimpse of the churning river far below. The bridge is so narrow that the carriages seem airborne as they glide along its 1,637-foot-long span.

Darkness falls like a boulder as the cars plunge into a series of tunnels, ranging from 125 to 780 feet in length. Then, at Temoris, the train snakes back and forth across a steep mountainside, negotiates a 180-degree turn inside another tunnel, emerging to reveal three levels of track below.

During the next 12 miles, it burrows through 16 more obstructions while clinging precariously to a deep river gorge rimmed by cascading waterfalls and forested peaks. Farther along, at La Lazo (The Laso), the line actually spirals back on itself and makes a 360-degree loop.

After about six hours of steady ascent, the highest point on the journey is reached at Divisadero. Here, the train stops long enough to allow passengers to clamber off with cameras in hand.

Impromptu taco stands, souvenir stalls and Tarahumara Indian women weaving pine-needle baskets line the path to a lookout. The panorama from this famous vantage point is breathtaking. Almost a mile below, the Urique river meanders through its misty canyon, and blue-green ridges stretch as far as the eye can see.

Two more hours down the track lies the town of Creel, end of the line for most travelers. Log buildings, a wide main street, and the constant smell of burning pine give the sprawling town a frontier atmosphere.

This is the heart of Tarahumara country. Indigenous women in long calico skirts, shawls and head scarves brighten Creel's streets.

Tarahumara men can sometimes be seen wearing white pajamalike garments that reveal their powerful legs.

Between 50,000 and 70,000 Tarahumaras inhabit the isolated canyons that make up the Copper Canyon area. They are a shy, independent people who have managed to hold on to their traditions despite intrusions by outsiders.

The Tarahumara call themselves Raramuri, meaning "those who run fast." The men have won international running competitions, and they still hold cross-country races in which teams kick a wooden ball for great distances along steep mountain paths.

The Artesanias Mission store on Creel's main plaza sells sweet- smelling baskets, pottery, woven sashes, beadwork, violins and other Tarahumara handicrafts. There are also books on the Copper Canyon, photographs of the Indians, along with audio cassettes of their chants and dances. Profits go to a hospital for the Tarahumaras. A small museum on the square has exhibits highlighting Tarahumara culture.

Tour operators in Creel offer excursions into the canyons and to nearby waterfalls and hot springs. A popular day trip from Creel is to Arareko, an ecotourism land cooperative managed by local Tarahumaras.

The road to Arareko winds through a serene valley where Tarahumaras live in simple log cabins and cave dwellings etched into sheer canyon walls. On these small farms, they grow corn, beans and potatoes and tend herds of goats.

The path continues on through The Valley of the Mushrooms, an eerie landscape full of balancing boulders and stunted trees, before coming to a 400-year-old adobe church in the hamlet of San Ignacio. A trail leads from San Ignacio to Lago Arareko, an alpine lake surrounded by pine forests and rocky shores.

From Creel, train passengers can either continue on to Chihuahua, a friendly city with some interesting museums and historic buildings, or return to Los Mochis.

The train trip back to Los Mochis offers several opportunities for overnight stopovers. One of the most rewarding is the pastoral hamlet of Cerocahui. A bus meets the train at the Bahuichivo station and bounces along an alpine road past meadows and rushing streams to the Hotel Mision. Cerocahui was founded by Jesuit missionaries, and their handsome yellow-domed church, dating back to 1741, is still the community's focal point.

Hotel Mision makes a convenient base for exploring nearby waterfalls and canyon viewpoints, either by bus or on horseback. The hotel's cozy rooms look out across a peaceful garden. Mexican crafts adorn the Mision's softly lit dining room, and a huge natural stone fireplace keeps guests warm on chilly nights.

Near the hotel is a school for Tarahumara children run by Catholic nuns. Visitors are welcome, and there is a store selling crafts made by the students.

Closer to Los Mochis, the quiet colonial town of El Fuerte is a pleasant place to linger for a day or two. El Fuerte dates back to 1564 and was once an important Spanish trading post.

Palm trees tower over El Fuerte's tidy main plaza, which is flanked by a classical-style municipal palace and a pretty white church. Old Spanish houses painted warm hues line back streets.

From downtown, a path leads uphill to a reconstructed fort that houses a museum and paintings by local artists. The fort's ramparts offer panoramic views of the town and of the placid Rio Fuerte, a favorite haunt of birdwatchers.

This sidebar appeared with the story:

IF YOU GO

Copper Canyon

Getting there

Alaska Airlines, Delta and America West all fly to Mazatlan from Spokane. Aeromexico has daily flights to Los Mochis from Mazatlan.

Where to stay

Balderrama Hotels and Tours, based in Los Mochis, runs several comfortable hotels with good restaurants in the Copper Canyon region: Hotel Santa Anita in Los Mochis, Posada Hidalgo in El Fuerte, Hotel Mision in Cerocahui, and Posada Barrancas Mirador near Divisadero. The company also offers packaged canyon tours.

Balderrama's English-language Web site is www.mexicoscoppercanyon.com. E-mail: hotelsbal@ mexicoscoppercanyon.com.

Telephone: (668) 818-7046. Fax: (668) 818-3393.

When to go

September and October are two of the best months to visit the Copper Canyon region. It can snow in the high country during the winter. Spring is also a good time to go.

Train ride information

The fare to Creel from Los Mochis on the new Primera Express (Chepe) train is about $58 U.S. one-way. Stopovers en route are allowed. A complete list of fares and schedules is posted on the train's Web site, www.chepe.com.mx.

Guide service

A very knowledgeable English-speaking naturalist and guide is available for excursions into the canyons is Pedro Palma. E-mail: taraadv@prodigy.net.mx.

Mexico information

For general information on Mexico, contact the Mexico Tourism Board at (800) 44-MEXICO, www.visitmexico.com, or send e-mail to contact@www.visitmexico.com.

Copyright 2003 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.