Hitachi Rail has signed a contract worth approximately €168 million to provide railway systems for the new Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger corridor in Mexico.
The project covers the design, development, supply, installation and commissioning of signalling, telecommunications and control systems for the new line, which will run for around 396 kilometres between Derramadero near Saltillo, Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo.
The corridor will connect the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, three regions with a major role in Mexico’s industrial and economic development. It forms part of the Mexican government’s programme to reactivate and expand passenger rail transport.
Hitachi Rail’s scope includes signalling and track protection systems based on the ETCS Level 1 standard, as well as telecommunications networks, transmission systems, CCTV and SCADA for real-time infrastructure supervision.
The contract also covers equipment for 13 passenger stations, inspection and conditioning areas, workshops and depots. An Operational Control Centre and backup centre will be implemented to manage railway operations centrally.
For Hitachi Rail, the contract strengthens a long-standing presence in Mexico. The company has been active in the country’s transport sector for 55 years, including projects such as the Mexico City Metro, the Suburban Train, the Mexico–Toluca Interurban “El Insurgente” and ticketing systems.
The Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo award adds another international signalling project to Hitachi Rail’s portfolio and brings European interoperability standards into one of Mexico’s major new passenger rail corridors.
