Government Overhauls Route After Deadly December Crash
Six months after the worst accident in the Interoceanic Train's history, Mexico's government is scrapping the original design. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the rail line will be rerouted at the point where a December 28, 2025 derailment killed 14 people and injured 98 others.
The redesign targets the notorious curve known as Las Orejas de Conejo (Rabbit's Ears), located between Nizanda and Chivela in Oaxaca state, precisely where the crash occurred. According to Infobea, the new layout will bypass the treacherous turn entirely, enhancing passenger safety. Plans will be presented within three weeks. The newspaper Ámbito reports that freight operations have resumed, but passenger service remains halted since the disaster.
A Flagship Project Under Scrutiny
The decision challenges a signature infrastructure project inherited from the previous administration. The Tehuantepec Isthmus Interoceanic Corridor aims to compete with the Panama Canal by moving cargo between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The derailment exposed serious flaws in both the route's design and maintenance standards across a geographically demanding stretch of track.
By redesigning the route, the government essentially admits the original alignment was unsafe for passengers traveling at planned speeds.
Waiting for Passenger Service
The pressing question is when passenger service will restart. Sheinbaum said the government would have a reopening date within two or three weeks, pending review of the redesign work. For communities across the Isthmus that viewed the train as a gateway to jobs and economic growth, that date represents everything at stake.