Buenas Dias,

Re: Your Questions about the Ferrocarril Tiajuana y Tecate, the name of that part of the old San Diego Arizona and Eastern Railway, built around `1917, and run as a SP subsidiary until around 1980. Part of it is now the SD Trolley between the border and Petco.

The line on the Mexican side is in service. There will be an all day passenger excursion soon on the line between Tiajuana and Tecate, which I saw recently advertised (passports now required) for those seeking "rare" passenger mileage. They seem to run these excursions several times a year. They've also have run some "official" specials with local trade-tourism delegations over the last couple of years.

The SD rail museum at Campo operates on a portion of the line past Tecate on the American side.

I am uncertain on the current freight volumes into and/or out of Mexico. The Tecate Beer plant took cars at one time, I don't know if they still do. ATSF/BNSF hauled in some of these over the years.

The line has been in an out of service mainly between Campo and Plaster City over the years, limiting access to interchange with the UP at El Centro. Weather, aging capital plant, slides, and low traffic volumes have plagued the line, since the late 70's.

The line both in the US and Mexico has been the subject of various studies to maintain or upgrade freight service between San Diego/Tiajuana and El Centro, it would be pricey to improve the line significantly, but affordable to maintain it. And, the Mexican's have looked at transit service on the line with DMU and/or other technologies between Tecate and Tiajuana.