#Mexican Railroads

[trainsgenderfoxgirl2816]

Actually I've got some spicy takes about tren Maya, they shouldn't have started building it since there was existing Right-of-way they could of used but since they cleared the Right-of-way they absolutely have to finish it because the Right-of-way is the most expensive and damaging part of the process and it's also the first step of building a railroad after planning and surveying, and while yes they shouldn't have started it when they had existing rail lines they could have upgraded, that ship has sailed Tren Maya is about 95% complete and moar tren moar good usually because Train good car bad, even if it is being built for the wrong reasons once construction begins you NEED to finish it otherwise you get all the bad with none of the good

Also they are Electrifying it and hopefully they rebuild the old Mexican railroad system especially considering lots of people are nostalgic for the NdeM (National Railroads of Mexico) which was a very good system until they sold it off to Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern, and Genesee & Wyoming in the 90s (keep in mind all of those Railroads are American although KCS just merged with Canadian Pacific)

As someone from Mexico I feel deeply obligated to let the US left know that Claudia Sheinbaum is neither of these things and while having a women rule the country for the first time is a historic achievement it is not the win you think it is

She is of jewish descent and made one statement for Palestine but never pressured the mexican goverment to break ties with Israel and one of her proposals as a president is to give the military here ( that btw is trained by the Isr*eli army) more power

As the mayor of Mexico City she constantly used the riot police against protestors and allowed the use of tear gas ( which she later claimed wasn't true)

She calls herself a feminist but always refused to acknowledge the wave of violence Mexico faces against women ( 11 women dissapear every day in Mexico) She has also knowingly made men accused of SA part of her campaign team

She also supports "Tren Maya", a project that caused massive ecological devastation in the mayan jungle and facilitated military violence against indigenous communities

You don't live here, you don't know shit so please don't push this kind of narrative idolizing these people

this is not a win for us

[alwaysbewoke]

—Did you know that Juneteenth is also celebrated in a part of Mexico? Nacimiento Mexico was once home to thousands who escaped slavery in the US. As many as 10,000 slaves followed a clandestine Southern Underground Railroad to Mexico. —To date, many Black Mexicans from the Texas area retrace a portion of the same route their African American ancestors followed in 1850 when they escaped slavery. —Descendants of slaves who escaped across the southern border observe Texas’s emancipation holiday with their own unique traditions in the village of Nacimiento. —Slave hunters would patrol the southern border for escapees, led by the Texas Rangers but the Mexican army would be there waiting for them (the slave hunters) to turn them away.

x

[blackros78]

Zapatistas Traveling by Train, 1911.

[thorsenmark]

Wildflowers and the Mexican Canyon Trestle by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While at the Trestle Vista Observation Site in Lincoln National Forest with a view looking to the southeast.

[trainsgenderfoxgirl2816]

Fun fact they have a varient of the Xtrapolis used on Intercity Trains in Southeastern Mexico

There are also these Electric Commuter Trains used around Mexico City, Mexican railways are very odd because they tend to used European Passenger Trains with American Freight Equipment, but they don't have many passenger trains since they cancelled almost all of them in the 90s when the Railroads were privatized and sold off to Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern, and Genesee & Wyoming (all of which are American Railroads) although the Kansas City Southern railroad merged with Canadian Pacific recently

Trains? >:3

TRAINS :D

[nopeferatu]

i just think its really cool to headcanon ennis as having mexican ancestry. i just think its really neat.

[nomaishuttle]

that movie sosososos good

[trainsgenderfoxgirl2816]

Trainfuckers

trains do fuck actually

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"The vast majority of white shopmen did strike. That there was not a total walkout was due to local circumstances. On the Great Northern Railroad, the total number of strikers reached 93 percent, but in some locales shopmen continued to work. For example, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, 49 percent of the men remained at work in the shop and 40 percent in the roundhouse. Other weak points included the roundhouses of Clancy, Montana; Rugby, North Dakota; and Anacortes, Washington. 16 In California, a local strike official reported that "Fresno and San Jose did not respond as they should have done." In the East, a local strike leader reported from the Baltimore and Ohio system federation that "The majority of the men that are in are from the Mt. Clara shop at Baltimore."

The striking shopmen faced important obstacles in presenting a united front. The support of African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asians was an important key to the strikers' attempts to win the battle. While the majority of white shopmen struck on July 1, for minorities the question was complicated by the endemic racism of the shopcrafts. Because such workers were regularly rejected by shopcraft unions and prevented from moving up to skilled positions, their potential as a divisive force became readily apparent. Indeed, in reaction to this history of discrimination, some minorities scabbed. In Alabama large numbers of blacks continued to work. J. W. West, a carmen strike leader on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, reported that black shopmen remained at work in Birmingham and Mobile. In Winslow, Arizona, the bulk of the scab workforce included "some forty odd Indian carmen and Japanese machinists."

Strikebreaking by Native Americans in some cases was tied to longstanding reciprocal relations. The Laguna Pueblo of New Mexico, for example, had long been connected to the Santa Fe Railroad. Since 1880, when the Laguna Pueblo had signed a "Gentlemen's Agreement of Friendship," they were guaranteed railroad jobs throughout the New Mexico territory. In 1922, Santa Fe management asked the Launa Pueblo workers to travel to Richmond, California, and take the places of the striking shopmen. The Laguna Pueblo workers agreed. One later testified they'd informed the company: "you always call us [when you] need help, we'll help you, you know."

While some did join the scab forces, minorities in large numbers actively supported the strike. African American shopmen established strong strike organizations in North Carolina and Louisiana. In Algiers, Louisiana, where blacks made up the majority of the shopcrafts, all came out led by a "negro president of the Algiers Blacksmith Helpers Auxiliary," who was described as an "organizer of merit and a forceful speaker." A union report from El Paso, Texas, confirmed that "ninety per cent" of the black shopmen "are with us." White strikers in some locales actively encouraged black shopmen to join the fight. At Richmond, Virginia, white strike leaders addressed the meetings of black helpers and laborers. T. J. Garvey, a boilermaker leader on the Southern Railroad, explained to one meeting that the strike would be "beneficial to the colored as well as the white [shopmen]." To further encourage the black strikers to hold fast, Garvey spelled out a future of mutual cooperation: "we should co-operate with one another and get closer together in the future than we have been in the past." A similar promise was given black strikers at Pensacola, Florida. Local strike leader G. H. Waugh, although recognizing that the African American strikers were "not organized," promised that "when the Whites go back at Pensacola, the Blacks [will] go [back] with them." But even when strikers courted black support, it was all too clear to the recipients of their sudden solicitude that their newfound acceptance was purely opportunistic. Thus, declared a white North Carolina unionist, African American helpers "could easily fill our places," and "they are a great help to us as pickets."

Shopmen of Japanese origin also solidly supported the strike. Japanese in Sparks, Nevada, "assured" the local organization that "would not return to work until the strike was settled." In Sacramento, California shopmen, a strike bulletin reported, "The Japs are with the strikers 100 percent and their secretary goes with the boys when soliciting donations from the Japs." Equally supportive were shopmen of Mexican origin. Not only did most of the Mexican American shopmen stay out on strike, they engaged in strategic picket duty on the U.S.-Mexican border. Up until July 22, these pickets managed to stop "at least sixteen hundred men from arriving in the United States to perform work on the railroads." At El Paso, Texas, Mexican Americans took the lead on the picket line. One Anglo machinist striker unknowingly, and laced with racist sentiment, detailed the commitment exhibited by Mexican American strikers to a military intelligence informant:

He says the Americans were willing to do the leading in the walk-out, but that they were shirking their duty on the picket line by leaving that responsibility altogether to the Mexicans, whom the strike leaders should be wary about trusting.

The Mexican American strikers endured not just disparate picket duty and racial stereotyping but also pressure from merchants to pay bills. One striker explained on July 21 that merchants spread propaganda that the strike was lost and that the Mexican Americans should return to work because of mounting bills. The strikers resisted this coercion; the informant insisted that the "Mexicans [were holding] together and that they will remain loyal to the union." Pressure from merchants on this group of workers was particularly felt due to their semiskilled and unskilled status. A machinist helper known only as Marquez claimed they had "nothing" saved when the strike began and that "many of the striker's wives are working now.' These wives experienced some difficulty in finding work "as many of rgw homes which formerly employed Mexican help have also been affected by the strike.' Thus the whole community had tightened its collective financial belts.

Remarkable in their championing of a conflict led and controlled by whites, minorities in large numbers stood on the picket lines and listened to speeches that applauded their "new-found" virtues as striking "brothers" or at least distant cousins. Sterling Spero and Abram Harris noted that "organized" "Negro helpers" went out on strike in 1922, and "stayed out as long the while mechanics. For the most part, this observation is correct. Minority shopmen's decision to strike mirrored that of whites. Like their white counterparts, some were encouraged by local circumstances to scab, but most joined the battle, recognizing a fundamental kinship. As Eric Arneson's and Joe Trotter's work with waterfront workers and miners has shown, occupational segregation did not preclude joint action when framed against a backdrop of fighting a common enemy."

- Colin J. Davis, Power at Odds: The 1922 National Railroad Shopmen’s Strike. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1997. p. 67-71.

[teaboot]

I don't know if you're American or not but in my experience as a person who is not American, American events and media are so incredibly loud and visible that they tend to leech into everything.

Like I'm Canadian born and raised and can name more American presidents than I can Canadian Prime Ministers. I have Canadian friends from Canada who can accurately describe themselves as Liberals but are still sorta foggy on NDP policies. Do you know what day Canada Day is? It's July 1st. Do you know what's on my dashboard on July 1st? Early posts about July 4th.

And if you're an American reading this: Or, hell, anyone else reading this: We all know George Washington was the first American President. Do you know who the first Prime Minister of Canada was? Can you name two British political parties? What are two countries that have Monarchies, not Democracies? What was the most recent political scandal you can think of that took place outside the US? What's your favourite TV show that takes place anywhere outside of America? What are your top three favourite non-american musicians? If English is your first language, how many foreign countries can you go to where you don't speak the language, but don't have to worry about it?

I said "International America Day" as a joke, but there is a very real phenomenon in countries outside of the US where the general population becomes Americanized through the prevalent American media.

We know American current events, we know American scandals, we know about American cops and American movies and American accents and American fast food chains. We have serious opinions on the American legal system and we talk about American law and American policy and American celebrities, and many of us don't know Jack Shit about what's going on where we live.

I'm Canadian. I've heard all about 'building the wall' and ICE and Jan 6th, the intentional government distribution of narcotics in Black communities and the use of Marijuana Illegalization to persecute Black and Mexican people under the Nixon administration.

Do you know what Canada did to Chinese immigrants to build the Canadian railroad? What about the Sterilization Act? Residential Schools? Do you know what a Status Card is? Does it, or does it not cost money to ride in an ambulance? Can people with breasts legally walk around topless? What's the legal drinking age? What are our biggest cities? Who was our least-popular PM? What are our allied nations? Where does the Canadian military get deployed?

"International America Day" was a goof. But Jesus, it's a little bit serious

*edit: yeah I wrote June instead of Jan my bad

[toavoidtherush]

the house as a haunting unto itself

kitty horrorshow, anatomy / phoebe bridgers, garden song / james wan, the conjuring / tracy k smith, ash / vc andrews, flowers in the attic / hollis brown thornton, 1986 / sylvia moreno garcia, mexican gothic / elias tigiser / dale bailey, the h word; bringing the horror home / danez smith / brian de palma, carrie / tori hamatani / leah horlick, ghost house / edward hopper, house by the railroad / mabel podcast / yellowjackets, the dollhouse / mark z danielewski, house of leaves / gillian flynn, sharp objects / thomas flint, haunted house / mike flannigan, the haunting of hill house / the duffer brothers, stranger things / joan tierney, why are you haunted? a survey / benjamin konig / richard siken, real estate.

[transit-fag]

The President of Mexico may force American Freight Railroads to electrify their trains as he has promised to force them to allow for electrified passenger rail on their tracks in Mexico

[trainsgenderfoxgirl2816]

Have any of you guys heard of the Tumbler Ridge Subdivision of BC rail

It was Canada's only high voltage AC electrified railroad but it was sadly de-electrified in 2000 by Canadian National and it's sadly I similar story for many other electrified railroads in north America including Mexican National Railways and the Trenton Cutoff and the Milwaukee Road's Pacific extension

[longliveblackness]

Hidden History: The Southbound Path to Freedom

When we think of the history of slavery in Texas, Juneteenth in Galveston often comes to mind. However, historians Samuel Collins Ill and Dr. Juan Govea reveal a deeper story that predates Juneteenth by decades. Long before the Emancipation Proclamation, Hispanic abolitionists played a crucial role in helping enslaved people escape to Mexico.

In Texas, the Underground Railroad didn't just lead north; it also ran south. Mexico, having outlawed slavery, welcomed fugitive slaves, offering them freedom and citizenship.

This lesser-known chapter of history shows that enslaved people were not just waiting to be rescued. Many saved for years to pay for their escape to Mexico, demonstrating immense resilience and determination.

Marriages between Mexican men and enslaved African women further illustrate the deep bonds and solidarity in this fight for freedom.

Some who found freedom in Mexico went on to build successful lives. For example, a former slave of Sam Houston became a barber in Matamoros, while another rose to the rank of officer in the Mexican army.

These stories challenge us to broaden our understanding of the Underground Railroad and recognize the diverse efforts that contributed to the fight against slavery. Let's honor the courage and solidarity of those who took the southbound path to freedom, and those who assisted them.

•••

Historias Escondidas: El camino hacia la libertad en dirección al sur

Cuando pensamos en la historia de la esclavitud en Texas, Juneteenth o el Día de la Liberación es lo primero que cruza nuestras mentes. Sin embargo, los historiadores Samuel Collins Ill y Dr. Juan Govea, revelan una historia que sucedió muchas décadas antes del Día de la Liberación. Mucho antes de la Proclamación de Emancipación, los abolicionistas hispanos jugaron un papel crucial en ayudar a las personas esclavizadas a escapar hacia México.

En Texas, el Ferrocarril Subterráneo no solo se dirigía al norte, también se dirigía al sur. México, al ilegalizar la esclavitud, le daba la bienvenida a fugitivos esclavizados, ofreciéndoles libertad y ciudadanía.

Este capítulo de la historia de cual no muchos saben, demuestra que las personas esclavizadas no solo estaban esperando a ser rescatadas. Muchos ahorraron por años para pagar por su escape hacia México, demostrando que tenían inmensa determinación y resiliencia.

Los matrimonios entre hombres mexicanos y mujeres africanas esclavizadas, demuestran aún más los lazos profundos y la solidaridad en esta lucha por la libertad.

Algunos de los que encontraron libertad en México, construyeron vidas exitosas. Por ejemplo: uno de los antiguos esclavos de Sam Houston se convirtió en barbero estando en Matamoros, mientras que otro ascendió al rango de oficial en el ejército mexicano.

Estas historias nos desafían a ampliar nuestra comprensión sobre el Ferrocarril Subterráneo y a reconocer los diversos esfuerzos que contribuyeron a la lucha contra la esclavitud. Honremos la valentía y la solidaridad de quienes tomaron el camino del sur hacia la libertad y de quienes los ayudaron.

[thorsenmark]

Struts, Braces and Beams of the Mexican Canyon Trestle by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the southeast while taking in views at the Trestle Vista Observation Site in Lincoln National Forest.