01x03 - Copper Canyon Railway

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR:
This is El Chepe.

An iconic railway line that
took a century to complete.

Carved from the inhospitable terrain
of Mexico's Sierra Madre.

Beginning in the historic town of
Creel, it moves southwest,

through the magnificent Copper Canyon
region, climbing high mountains,

crossing breath-taking bridges,
and descending steep valleys,

before it ends its awe-inspiring journey
in the coastal city of Los Mochis.

Filmed from above,
(train whistles)

this series showcases some of the most
incredible railways on Earth.

With spectacular aerial footage,

we'll gain a unique insight into these
remarkable trains

and the extraordinary
landscapes they pass through,

revealing the technology that built them,
and the people who keep them running.

We'll uncover the culture, the history,
and the engineering

that makes these the world's greatest
train journeys from above.

Mexico, the third-largest
country in Latin America.

Sharing a border to the north
with the United States,

it is bound to the west and
south by the Pacific Ocean,

and to the east by the Gulf of
Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Located in north west Mexico
is its largest state, Chihuahua,

and it is here that Mexico's only long-
distance passenger train can be found:

El Chepe Express.

Begun as a visionary project
to link Mexico's Pacific coast

with the plains of the
American north west,

this train travels through
a region dominated by the

1,100-kilometer Sierra Madre,

and one of the great natural wonders
of the world: the Copper Canyon.

Sitting at an altitude of 2,300 meters,

the town of Creel is the
gateway to the Copper Canyon.

And it is the main
starting point for El Chepe.

The train departs Creel
three times a week,

and has seating for up to 580
passengers, across 16 carriages.

MAURICIO: Good morning! How are you?
Can I see your ticket?

NARRATOR: Train manager Mauricio Navarro
oversees the entire onboard service team.

MAURICIO:
We're gonna check your tickets, your ID,

and we're gonna assign the seats, so
they can get aboard in different classes.

NARRATOR: With nine years'
experience on El Chepe,

Mauricio enjoys the variety of his role.

MAURICIO: For me, it's the best job
that I have had in all my life.

I enjoy it because I deal with
people, especially to be like,

the ambassador of Mexico in the Chepe,
only train in Mexico, so I love my job.

I enjoy it.

We have all the passengers aboard, so
are ready to go. We are ready to go.

Vámonos.

MAURICIO:
All aboard.

NARRATOR: With the final
signal from traffic control,

-DRIVER: Go ahead, go ahead.
-OPERATOR (radio): (indistinct)

Let's go

NARRATOR: The El Chepe locomotive
and its passenger carriages set off,

(train whistle)

departing Creel and heading south west,

on a 650-kilometer journey
towards the Pacific coast.

From above, the beauty of
the journey is plain to see.

But the dramatic landscape
makes for a challenging route.

From Creel, El Chepe Express
climbs as it heads south west

through the Copper Canyon region,

before beginning a gradual descent towards
the mountain looking of Divisadero.

It then follows a winding path along
the course of the Fuerte River,

to the agricultural
heartland of Sinaloa,

before arriving in the
coastal city of Los Mochis.

As one of Mexico's biggest
tourist attractions,

El Chepe draws visitors
from around the world.

And the crew work hard to make
the experience on board

as memorable as the scenery outside.

Every journey,

all the crew is very satisfied to
give the service to the passengers

and see the faces when
they get off and say thank you.

NARRATOR: Whilst maître d'
Carlos Juarez ensures the dining car

is ready to welcome guests.

-CARLOS: Hi, how many are you?
-WOMAN: Three.

NARRATOR: In the kitchen,
chefs Jesús and Jesús

are preparing the
first of more than 90 meals

that will be served
across the nine-hour journey.

JESÚS: We are getting ready
for the first class service.

He is my son Jesús. I have been
working here for 16 years.

(untranslated)

Since I was very young I helped
him to prepare food, since I was a kid.

I always wanted to work
with him, wherever he went.

JESÚS: He is a good student, yes.
(clattering)

NARRATOR: The first stage of
the journey takes El Chepe

through the high pine forests of the
Sierra Madre, a region steeped in history.

South of Creel stands the Church
of San Ignacio de Arareko.

It was built by Jesuit missionaries
in the 18th century.

The Copper Canyon is also
home to the Tarahumara people.

This indigenous group once
lived throughout Chihuahua,

but fled here after the Spanish conquest.

As well as the onboard crew, there's a
whole team of engineers and mechanics,

keeping the train and the
track in peak condition.

Saúl is so passionate about trains,

he actually lives in a
converted train carriage.

SAÚL: I personally love trains. What
better reason to go to work every day?

NARRATOR: It's not just his
home; it's his work, too.

Saúl is one of the maintenance team,

responsible for ensuring that everything
on, under, and inside the train

is in perfect working order.

SAÚL: Today I have to check some engines
to see if there are any failures

To work with trains is very, very
beautiful. Ready, let's begin working!

NARRATOR: The team has been
renovating one of El Chepe's carriages,

and today they're attaching a new
generator to the underside.

(beeping)

RICARDO: This engine is
practically the heart of the car.

It will power the electrical
systems such as lighting,

the outlets, the air
conditioning, and the heating.

NARRATOR:
For operations manager Ricardo,

steady power is particularly
important on this route.

RICARDO: The route on which our train
travels has very extreme climates

so it is necessary to have
air conditioning systems

that maintain a comfortable
temperature for the passengers.

NARRATOR: With the generator installed,
Saúl moves on to the next job.

SAÚL: Now we have
to check all the engines.

For each engine we'll
have to do two oil changes.

If the engines don't work
properly, the generator will fail.

then the people above in
the train will be warm,

because the air conditioning
won't work properly.

NARRATOR:
As well as the generator,

there's another vital
task for the team today.

Further down the train,

the silicone seal around one of
the windows has deteriorated,

allowing humid air to circulate
inside the passenger carriages,

and condensation to form.

The whole window
unit is being replaced.

With each new carriage window
weighing 58 kilograms,

it takes teamwork to get it in place.

-WORKER 1: Ready?
-WORKER 2: Yes

WORKER 1 (grunts):
One, two, three.

-WORKER 1: Hold it from the corners.
-WORKER 2: Yes.

JESÚS MORA: After, it will be
sealed with silicone,

so rain or storms won't damage
the interior of the train

NARRATOR: While Saúl and his
crew get the carriages ready,

another team is busy
stretching and warming up

-for a day of hard work out on the tracks.
-WORKER: Ten, nine, eight, seven...

The aim is to avoid accidents
while we're out on the tracks.

All the staff is involved
in this activity.

Remember today we have to work safely
and come back healthy and safe,

that's how we want to come
back to our homes.

NARRATOR: The terrain on
El Chepe's route is filled with hazards,

from potential landslides and
rockfalls, to flash floods.

and it's up to this team to
keep the tracks open,

driving a fleet of specially
adapted protector trucks

that run 25 minutes ahead of the trains.

Today's crew is track inspector Jose Soto,
and track operator Omar Bensor.

JOSE: We are the engineers of the express
and what we do is provide security.

If we say this isn't secure, we can
stop the train until it is repaired.

NARRATOR: The pair have been
working on the line for seven years,

and have developed a sixth sense
for problems with the track.

JOSE:
Did you hear it?

There is missing a screw there.
We are going to do a quick repair

NARRATOR: With the train running
less than half an hour behind them,

Jose and Omar have just enough
time for a quick repair.

JOSE:
We are going to put the screws to it

so the join doesn't separate
during the night, as it is very cold.

NARRATOR: The tracks are screwed together
using pieces of steel known as fishplates.

A gap between each length of
rail allows them to expand

in the hot summers of the Sierra Madre.

While the screws and
fishplates hold them in position

when the temperature drops at night.

-JOSE: Ready?
-OMAR: Ready

NARRATOR: Jose and Omar complete
the repair in just a few minutes,

leaving plenty of time
for the train to pass.

But as El Chepe continues to climb
towards the highest point on its route,

another team of engineers is
facing a much bigger problem.

NARRATOR: El Chepe Express is now 20
kilometers into its journey south west

through the Sierra Madre.

Although construction on the
line began in 1897,

it was more than 60 years before
the whole route was completed.

(old film grain sound)

As well as contending with a
lack of funding and delays,

due to the outbreak of
the Mexican Revolution,

the dramatic scenery which draws
today's visitors onto the train

created huge challenges for the
engineers building the line.

Most railway tracks require gentle turns
and shallow inclines of less than 5%,

and traversing the steep cliffs and
ravines of the Copper Canyon

took some truly creative
engineering solutions.

One of the most pioneering is at El Lazo.

El Lazo means 'the loop', and here
the track curves eight degrees,

to make a wide 360-degree turn,

allowing it to spiral down a steep
mountainside and quickly lose altitude.

It can test both engine and
track to their limits,

and today the crew aboard the
protector truck has spotted a problem.

With warning flags in place to alert
oncoming rail traffic to their presence,

they need to repair a
damaged piece of rail.

JUAN:
Here in the zone of El Lazo,

we have a series of continuous
curves with a tight angle

We have to make sure the train can pass
through securely and comfortably.

NARRATOR:
The curved tracks of El Lazo

mean that passing trains have
exerted extra pressure on the rails,

leaving a crack that will only
worsen if left unrepaired.

(mechanical whirring)

And the team has no time to lose.

JUAN: We have do the
job as quickly as possible.

We have the pressure of
the train approaching.

We have to let it through
without stopping the traffic.

NARRATOR: With the damaged
piece of track now cut out completely,

a mold is attached and the rail is heated.

Meanwhile, a special solution
of iron and aluminum oxide

is mixed in a ceramic crucible.

Once ignited, this material will
create an exothermic reaction.

The heat created by this
reaction is so intense

that the iron in the crucible melts,

flowing down into the mold, and
filling the gap in the railway tracks.

With the mold removed, there is still
excess metal around the join,

enough to derail a passing train.

The team now use sledgehammers and an
angle grinder to remove the red-hot metal,

and smooth out the weld
to create a perfect join.

This technique, known as thermite welding,

was first used to join stretches
of railway line in 1899.

It can be used in locations
without access to electricity,

making it invaluable in the remote
regions of El Chepe's route.

JUAN: Manuel! Start to put
the tools back on the truck.

There is a passenger train on its way.
We have to leave the tracks,

and make sure the rail tracks
are secure so it can get through

NARRATOR:
In just moments,

the newly repaired section of
the track will be put to the test.

(train whistle)

The weld is a success, and the
track is held firmly in place.

From above, we can see how
El Chepe passes safely

through this marvel of
railway engineering,

using a series of gentle
curves to cross over itself,

as it descends deeper
into the Sierra Madre.

With 58 kilometers of the route completed,

El Chepe Express is now approaching
the first major stop on its route:

the mountain settlement of Divisadero.

It's one of the highlights for visitors,

who come to experience
the incredible views,

and sidings have been built for
passengers to disembark at the station.

Switching the tracks is
done the old-fashioned way.

MAURICIO:
We're about to arrive in Divisadero.

We're gonna leave the main track.
The guys in the front of the engine,

they're gonna make the change
of tracks for the people to get in,

and we're gonna stay there for
around ten, 15 minutes.

It depends on the people to get aboard.

NARRATOR:
Manually aligning the tracks

is the job of signalmen Obed
Carrasco and Marco Antonio.

(indistinct radio)

OBED:
We are going to change tracks

so we can get the
train beside the platform.

NARRATOR:
With the track switched,

the signal can be given
for the train to proceed.

OBED:
Come forward, come forward.

NARRATOR: Standing at an
elevation of over 2,200 meters,

Divisadero means 'lookout' or 'viewpoint,'
and is the highest stop on the route.

Here, the train's passengers can disembark
to sample the local indigenous culture,

experience the thrills of
the highwire adventure,

or simply stand in awe of one of the
world's great natural wonders:

the Copper Canyon.

Carved out over the millennia by the six
major rivers that flow through it,

it is four times larger than
America's Grand Canyon,

and is listed as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Building a railway through this terrain

meant not just climbing
and descending mountains,

but tunneling through cliffs,
and bridging deep ravines.

Keeping this unique stretch of
line running safely

remains a constant challenge for
today's maintenance crews.

NARRATOR: El Chepe Express
is still at high altitude,

passing through the mountainous
terrain of Mexico's Sierra Madre.

From just outside Divisadero,

it begins the first stages of a
winding 150-kilometer descent

that will take it south west,
towards the coastal state of Sinaloa.

In the 1950s, after decades of
delay and political upheaval,

the final section of El Chepe
had still not been built,

so the Mexican government began
a final push to complete the railway

through the Copper Canyon.

In the decade that followed,
6,000 men blasted 82 tunnels,

put up 37 bridges, and
laid 250 kilometers of track,

through some truly extraordinary terrain.

Mexican engineers welded
steel lengths of track,

while Tarahumara tribesmen cut
wooden sleepers from the forest.

And by 1961, the first passenger
train was finally able to pass

all the way from Chihuahua to Los Mochis.

The work of El Chepe's
creators still stands.

But it is vulnerable to the
dangers of erosion and rockfalls,

and requires regular maintenance.

Halfway through their shift, protector
truck crew Jose and Omar

are carrying out an inspection of
one of the route's many tunnels.

(water dripping)

We have to make sure there aren't
rocks falling or water leaking.

NARRATOR: 15 inches of rain can fall in a
few short months in the Sierra Madre,

flooding tunnels and eroding their walls.

JOSE: Another thing that
could cause issues is tree roots.

The get through the
rocks and make them fall.

NARRATOR: They also check the whole
length of track inside the tunnel.

JOSE:
Let's check the screws.

This one is loose.
We have to bring the gear.

OMAR:
(untranslated)

JOSE:
Yes, let's put a stone to mark the place.

(clanging)

NARRATOR: With the tightening
completed between two sections of rail,

the crew can move on.

The route's 37 largest bridges
also need regular maintenance,

and getting underneath a bridge
to look for structural issues

requires some highly
specialized equipment.

16 kilometers from Divisadero
stands the elegant La Laja Bridge.

At 155 meters in length, it
crosses the La Laja Canyon,

a 50-meter ravine carved out by a
tributary of the Septentrion River.

The bridge was completed in 1960,

as part of the final construction
phase of the El Chepe Line,

with cement for its four
concrete pillars mixed

using aggregate from the
bed of the river below.

Today, keeping it safe is the work of
bridge engineer Marco Ortiz and his team.

MARCO:
We are at the north side.

We are about to do a detailed
inspection of the bridge.

NARRATOR: Bridges are checked
twice a month along the El Chepe route,

as a matter of course, and more
regularly if any concerns are recorded.

(machinery whirring)

Today,

the crew is using an Aspen A-30 bridge
inspection truck known as 'The Nest.'

And with a potentially fatal
drop into the canyon on either side,

the safety of the team
is of paramount importance.

MARCO:
They are doing a checklist of the harness.

We have to go through all the anchor
points to make sure they are ok;

the knots, stitches and joints are in
good condition to be used securely.

NARRATOR: With the crew secure
and the checks complete,

the bridge inspection unit
moves out over the canyon.

Once it's in position,
Marco gives the go ahead.

MARCO:
Ok, go on Rene, begin moving the crane.

We have about four hours
to do the inspection,

because we have a train
coming from the north.

NARRATOR:
Weighing more than 20 tons, the Aspen A-30

uses a hydraulic crane arm with
an aluminum platform to

lower the inspection engineer as much as
12 meters below the level of the tracks.

Today, he is checking each of La Laja's
four pre-stressed concrete pillars

for signs of damage from
extreme heat and cold.

PANCHO: There could be a fissure
or something bursting or cracks.

Those supports over there,
we have to watch them.

If they move the
bridge could collapse.

Move a bit forward so we
can get close to the pillar.

NARRATOR: The Nest has a
maximum lift rating of 272 kilos,

and with low winds and safety
harnesses tightly secured,

the engineer can feel relatively safe.

But with a 50-meter drop below, carrying
out the inspection takes a cool head.

PANCHO: I have felt fear,
I imagine that we all have it,

especially when the wind is very strong,
we don't tend to come down.

NARRATOR:
With the work complete,

it's a relief to get back
to the rest of the team.

(clattering)

MARCO: How did it go Pancho?
How did you find the bridge?

Everything looked ok on the bridge.

I couldn't see any corrosion,

all the supports looked normal.

The pillars and headstock looked normal.

NARRATOR:
With the all clear given,

it's time for normal traffic
to resume on the La Laja Bridge.

MAN (radio):
La Laja bridge, La Laja bridge

MARCO:
There is a train approaching.

Control is asking to free up the tracks
so the train can arrive at San Rafael.

NARRATOR: This engineering
masterpiece united the skills

of some of the world's greatest engineers
with the manpower of the local Tarahumara.

Today, these indigenous
communities and their cultures

draw visitors from around the world,

and they have a vital part to play
in keeping El Chepe alive.

NARRATOR: El Chepe Express
has now descended nearly

1,000 meters from its high
point in the Sierra Madre,

and is approaching the
settlement of Bahuichivo.

The rise of air and road
transport means that today,

El Chepe is one of Mexico's only
remaining passenger trains,

and caters primarily to the tourists
who come to visit Copper Canyon.

In the dining car, maître d' Carlos Juarez
is keeping his passengers refreshed,

under challenging conditions.

CARLOS: As you can see, it is
really rocky at the moment,

the train is moving a lot, so
that is quite a challenge for us

to serve the drinks, to
serve the food,

but we are getting used to it,
or we are used to it already.

NARRATOR: The Chepe Line
was built to provide a link

between diverse regions and cultures.

And in the train's kitchen,
father and son team Jesús and Jesús

are preparing a
menu rich in local product.

This consists of barbecued
enchiladas and cod.

We have chicken here from the
region. What do you think?

CARLOS: We try every time to
have local products,

Mexican products mainly, but mostly
from Chihuahua and from Sinaloa.

NARRATOR:
Seen from above,

the arid wilderness of the Chepe route
may not look like a promising place

to source the ingredients
for a chef's pantry.

But the unique geography of these
mountains holds some surprising secrets.

And for winery owner
Bernardo Balderrama,

it's the perfect environment for producing
one of El Chepe's most famous luxuries.

BERNARDO: Right now, we're in the main
vineyard of Misión de Cerocahui,

so this is the Valley of Cerocahui.
It's in the middle of a basin,

and it has a very special microclimate.

This microclimate is very
different in that in all Mexico,

it's compared to Burgundy in France.

That's why you see pine trees and
you see different vegetation.

And this weather, you know,
it's cool nights, you know,

and hot days, makes it
excellent for the grapes.

NARRATOR: Bernardo has been supplying
the Chepe train for the last five years,

but the vineyard has its roots much
further back in the region's history.

BERNARDO:
This vineyard dates to the 1780s,

when the Jesuits, they
came here into this land.

They were coming here to
propagate the Catholic religion,

but also they brought with
them the vines to grow them

and to make their own wines,
especially for the ceremony in the mass.

NARRATOR:
Aboard El Chepe,

the fruits of Bernardo's vineyard provide
a welcome addition to the menu.

CARLOS: It is important to
have good quality on wine,

because we are of course
serving a good quality of food.

So, if we have good drinks,
good wines, good food,

we are giving a great
experience to the customer.

We are giving a great
experience to passengers.

NARRATOR:
Like the grapevines at Cerocahui,

apples also arrived with the
Spanish in the 16th century,

where they flourished in the cool
heights of the Sierra Madre.

Today, Chihuahua produces more than 70%
of Mexico's annual apple harvest,

3% of the country's
commercial fruit production.

And they also find their
way into the Chepe kitchen.

COOK: We have to peel about 60
apples to make 200 dessert cakes,

about one for each person.

NARRATOR: But there's another
specialty served on the Chepe train

that is truly local.

WAITER: This is margarita and
it has tequila and pineapple.

Thank you!

This has red fruit and Sotol,
a typical beverage from here.

NARRATOR:
Unlike wine,

sotol can only be made using a wild
shrub from which it takes its name.

The slow-growing sotol
plant is closely related to asparagus,

and is found only above 900 meters
in the heights of the Sierra Madre.

To keep the train supplied,
distillery owner Victor Ibarra

needs a sturdy four-wheel drive
and a sound knowledge of the desert.

VICTOR: As you can see, we're, like,
probably 1,600 meters altitude-wise,

and this is very favorable for the
plant to really grow and develop.

As you can see it's
very caliso, we call it.

It's a type of terrain
that we have over here.

So, it's dry, but during the
winter it can get humid,

you know, and it's when the plant will get
its sugars ready after raining season.

NARRATOR: In the early 20th century,
the Mexican government banned sotol.

Some makers kept
production going illegally,

smuggling the drink into the United
States during the prohibition era.

In recent decades,
production has been revived.

The traditional methods of
the sotoleros use underground ovens

and fermentation to bring out the natural
sweet flavors of the sotol plant.

For Victor, the transformation of this
hardy desert shrub into a fragrant liqueur

-never loses its magic.
-When we get to the middle part,

we can take some pieces of it
and really taste the sweetness of it,

which is a very interesting and
different kind of sweetness.

NARRATOR:
To test the final product,

he turns to his master
sotolero, Gerardo Ruelas.

VICTOR:
What's going on Gerardo?

-GERARDO: What's up Victor?
-VICTOR: How is it?

VICTOR:
Gerardo is fifth generation.

He represents the fifth
generation of sotoleros.

NARRATOR:
For generations of Gerardo's family,

practicing this craft meant risking jail.
Today, his expertise is back in demand.

To me this process is fascinating,
I have no words to describe it.

It has taken me around
Mexico and all over the world.

I've got to know different experts,
so I am grateful to Sotol.

NARRATOR: With the latest
batch bottled and signed off,

there's just enough time to
get it to the Chepe train.

VICTOR: So, we have a delivery to
make to El Chepe. Just happened.

-BOTH: How are you?
-DRIVER: Good.

VICTOR:
Here it is ready, can you take it?

Done, thank you. Yes, quickly.

-VICTOR: I hope it goes well, brother.
-DRIVER: Thank you.

NARRATOR: Thanks to El Chepe,

sotoleros like Victor and
vineyard owners like Bernardo

can bring the heritage and
culture of the Sierra Madre region

to people from all over the world.

But as the train continues its journey
through this mountainous region

and encounters the people who have
made this landscape their home,

this railway's most surprising
secrets are yet to come.

NARRATOR:
Today,

the Chepe Railroad is popular
with tourists from around the world,

drawing nearly 100,000 people each year.

They come here not just for its unique
landscape, but also for its culture.

WOMAN: I was excited to see the
people, the Tarahumara people.

WOMAN 2:
I like about it's not only trees.

You can see, well, a history
of the Tarahumaras,

and everything has happened over here,
how both cultures are coexisting here.

WOMAN 3: The experience I'm looking
for is to appreciate new cultures

and see the Tarahumara mountains, El
Chepe Express and the Copper Canyon

WOMAN 4: Having an experience
inside the train is very exciting.

NARRATOR: From above, the remote
terrain of the Copper Canyon

may appear inhospitable, but for many,
this landscape has been a place of refuge.

The Mennonites, a religious
Christian group,

settled in Chihuahua in
the early 20th century,

and the region has also provide a refuge
for the indigenous Tarahumara people.

Persecuted by the Spanish
in the 16th century,

they fled to the remote
regions of the Copper Canyon,

and still live here to this day.

Tourists from the Chepe
train bring valuable income

to remote Tarahumara communities.

But for Guadalupe Aguero,
their culture offers something else.

GUADALUPE: When I came here to
these mountains for my first time,

I got in love what
these people, they can do.

So, I started training and
training and training,

until I got to complete my first,
the first time 60 kilometers.

So, I felt in love, what
you receive from the people.

NARRATOR:
Guadalupe is an ultramarathon runner,

competing in long-distance races that can
range from 50 to 100 kilometers in length.

And thanks to El Chepe, today he's come
to meet a special training companion.

GUADALUPE: The reason that I
come to visit Martin Moreno,

because I know that he can
run 100 kilometers or more.

I'm excited to run again with Martin,

because I know his power
and I know my power.

That is I don't compare with him, but I
do my effort to go more than he can.

So, that's my reason to come.

NARRATOR: The Tarahumara have a reputation
as extraordinary long-distance runners.

Long before the Chepe Railroad
connected these mountains to the coast,

Tarahumara, like Martin Moreno,

used long-distance running as a practical
way to travel from village to village,

covering as much as
80 to 100 kilometers a day,

using only leather sandals and stamina.

-GUADALUPE: Hi Martin, how are you?
-MARTIN: Very well, very well

-GUADALUPE: Taking it easy?
-MARTIN: Yes

GUADALUPE: That's good.
How have you been?

-MARTIN: All good
-GUADALUPE: Good!

-MARTIN: Waiting for you to go for a run.
-GUADALUPE: Where should we go today, up?

If we go there, that route would be good.

GUADALUPE:
Yes, if that's better, to go and train.

NARRATOR: Today, this deeply
rooted part of their culture

has seen Tarahumara athletes
triumph in international competitions.

For Guadalupe, a seasoned Tarahumara
runner is the ultimate mentor.

GUADALUPE (labored):
That's why I'm training with Martin,

because I know that following
him, it's gonna be hard.

So, if he goes to the
ultimate (untranslated),

I will follow him all the time.

Well, it's good in this area,

so the terrain gets your ankle
really, really strong. So, let's do it.

NARRATOR: Their ability as
outstanding long-distance runners

has made the Tarahumara
famous around the world,

and their agility on the rocky
mountain ridges of Copper Canyon

is reflected in the meaning of their name,

Tarahumara meaning
'the light-footed people'.

GUADALUPE: Other runners,
they look for Tarahumaras,

so that's one of the reasons
I looked for Martin,

because I knew that I'm
gonna improve myself,

that I'm gonna be training with him, so
I'm gonna have my legs or my body,

my mind even, because when
you run ultramarathons,

hasn't your legs your power,
it's more in your mind.

(rumbles)
(train whistle)

NARRATOR:
The Chepe route has been a vital link

between remote Tarahumara
communities and the rest of the country

since it first opened.

The final stretches of track
were laid just outside Temoris.

Here, the train must make a
steep 200-meter descent

to the valley floor below.

To do this, it first enters
the 930-meter Le Pera Tunnel.

the train then doubles back on itself,

turning a complete 180-degree
loop inside the mountain.

Emerging from the tunnel, the train
then descends along the valley walls,

before the track loops again,

crossing the 200-meter curve
of the Santa Barbara Bridge,

and returning to its original
course at a lower altitude.

This triumph of engineering
was completed in 1961,

finally linking the inland city of
Chihuahua with the Pacific coast.

And today, a plaque
stands at the Temoris Loop,

to commemorate this
historic achievement.

As the train continues down
towards the coastal state of Sinaloa,

it faces a new and
growing environmental threat.

NARRATOR: The Chepe Route
might be a marvel of railway engineering,

but a changing world means it
constantly faces new challenges.

As the train heads towards the
plains of Sinaloa,

it becomes vulnerable to a recent
increase in extreme weather.

In 2018, floods caused by
record-breaking rainfall

forced the Chepe Line to
close for several weeks.

Three years later, it happened again.

With baking sun and torrential
downpours damaging the tracks,

division engineer Manuel Perez
and his team are doing what they can

to safeguard for the future.

MANUEL: For any railway in the world,
water and rain are our worst enemies.

Come with me, I'm going to show you
the condition of one of the sleepers.

NARRATOR: Lightweight, cheap,
and easy to manufacture,

wooden sleepers have been standard
since the early days of the railway,

and can last for 50 years. But
extreme weather has damaged them.

MANUEL: This wooden sleeper
doesn't hold the nails

It doesn't provide security in
terms of transversal resistance.

We can run the risk of losing the
standard separation between the tracks.

NARRATOR: Even a slight change
in the distance between tracks

could spell disaster for a passing train.

Manuel and his team
need to solve the problem.

MANUEL: We are replacing wooden
sleepers with concrete sleepers.

They have more resistance and
the tracks are more secure.

When they are manufactured,

they go through different tests
of resistance and flexibility.

They are designed
to support 130 tonnes.

NARRATOR: They might be made
from a more durable material,

but installing the new
sleepers by hand isn't easy.

(untranslated)

As you can see,
this is a manual operation.

It's a delicate manuever
due to its heavy weight.

It's about three times
heavier than a wooden sleeper.

320kg in weight

NARRATOR: With 4,000 wooden
sleepers in need of replacement,

the crew's work looks set to continue.

As it finally leaves the foothills
of the Sierra Madre behind,

the Chepe train finds itself on
the coastal plains of Sinaloa.

This fertile state is Mexico's
agricultural heartland,

producing wheat, sugarcane,
and other commercial crops.

From here, it's a short run
to the Pacific coast,

and the train's final destination,
the city of Los Mochis.

Founded in 1893, Los Mochis built
its fortune on the sugar industry,

and the remains of the old sugar
refinery still stand to this day.

As the train approaches
the end of its journey,

it's time for the passengers to
reflect on a memorable trip.

(chatter)

It's my first time and
I am really enjoying the trip.

I think it's been a good experience.

WOMAN 4: It's my first time
and I've enjoyed it very much.

NARRATOR: And for the crew, it's a
chance to wind down after a long shift.

CARLOS: It's been a busy day today.
We are almost finishing our shift.

We're heading to Los Mochis, and we
served around 800 people during this trip.

Everybody was happy, everybody
enjoyed the trip, so it was fine.

It was very fun today. It was a great day.

NARRATOR:
After a distance of 650 kilometers,

and a breath-taking descent
of over 2,000 meters,

El Chepe Express comes to its final stop.

From the heights of the Sierra Madre,

past the cliffs and winding
rivers of the Copper Canyon,

and on to the coastal plains below,

El Chepe Express has mastered
a landscape like no other.

It's a journey of diverse and
interconnected worlds,

rich in local culture and
centuries of Mexican history,

all joined together by
an iconic train line.

And as it descends from cool
mountain heights to tropical valleys,

it is the train's staff and the
engineering crews of this railway

who keep it thriving in an
ever-changing world,

making El Chepe one of the truly
greatest train journeys in the world.