All language subtitles for The Worlds Most Scenic Railway Journeys S02E03 1080p WEB DL H264 BTN_track3_[eng]

With 220 miles of track...

..37 bridges, 86 tunnels

and more than 100 years
in the making...

..the Chihuahua Pacifico Railway -
or El Chepe for short -

is a spectacular trip through
the great Copper Canyon region.

Holy cow! Look at that!

We'll meet the people who live
and work along this very special

train line... I love Chepe.

I to love travel in the Chepe
and I love to work in the Chepe.

..and we'll travel from mountain
to ocean in just one day.

It doesn't get any better than that.

It really doesn't.

This is no ordinary railway journey.

This is one of the most scenic
railway journeys in the world -

Mexico.

Sunrise at the tiny station of
Creel, Mexico's highest station...

..100 miles southwest of the city
of Chihuahua.

This morning, we are joining
these sleepy passengers on a voyage

of discovery through some
of the most startling scenery

on Earth on a very special train,

known affectionately as "El Chepe".

Welcome aboard.

For train manager Mauricio, each
new day brings new challenges.

Every trip, every journey
is a new adventure, new passengers

new people, so it's an adventure.

I'm so proud to work for it.

Yeah, three minutes and we go.

Our nine-and-a-half-hour journey
starts at the mountaintop town

of Creel.

From here, we head into the
Tarahumara Mountains to our first

stop at Divisadero.

It is here we enter the spectacular
Copper Canyon region.

After stopping at Bahuichivo and
passing through Temoris,

the train descends into the deepest
canyon in North America -

the Urique Canyon.

Entering the vast agricultural
plains of Sinaloa,

our next stop is El Fuerte.

After 220 miles,

we arrive at our destination -

Los Mochis -

the gateway to the Pacific Ocean.

Let's go.

TRAIN HORN BLARES

With three classes - first,
executive and tourist - and capable

of carrying 340 passengers,

El Chepe is Mexico's answer
to the Orient Express.

It has six carriages, a bar,
a restaurant that doubles

as the observation car,
and a viewing terrace.

And at 7am in the morning,

breakfast service is in full swing.

Train manager Mauricio,
who has worked on El Chepe

for seven years.

This is my job. I love it,

and I'm very proud to teach
everybody and to show everybody

to come and make the trip
of their lives enjoyable.

I love Chepe.

I love to travel in the Chepe
and I love to work in the Chepe.

For Baltimore resident Jerry, taking
this train trip through Mexico

is the fulfilment
of a lifelong dream.

It's just always been on my bucket
list of trains to try and ride in.

Kind of the stuff of dreams
for a rail fan.

Train nerd, rail freak,
you know, you name it.

Somehow it got in my blood
as a young kid.

I don't come from a train town.

And I even got married on the train.

TRAIN HORN BLARES

Also on the train today is someone
who has had a longstanding love

affair with El Chepe for many years.

My name is Pedro Palma.

I'm a native of Copper Canyon.

And I've been riding this train

for the last 39 years.

It's one of the top ten
train rides in the world.

We are about to enter the first
major stage of our journey -

a dramatic landscape known
as the Tarahumara Mountains.

Formed by volcanic eruptions as part
of the Mexican Plateau as far back

as 130 million years ago, and
sitting at 7,380 feet above

sea level, they dominate the
surrounding landscape.

The first part of the route,
from Creel to Divisadero, covers

a distance of only 20 miles.

But because of the extreme winding
of the track, it will take

us two hours.

There are no major roads
through this inhospitable terrain.

The only way to view this wild
and dramatic scenery

is from the carriage of a train.

These difficult-to-reach canyons
are perfect hiding places.

When the Spanish invaded in the
16th century, the indigenous people,

the Tarahumara, retreated here...

..and still live here to this day,
as local guide Enrique explains.

This is my people.
This is my culture.

It's the Raramuri people.

They're good runners.

This cloistered community
of around 50,000 folk called

themselves the Raramuri -

"the people of the swiftly
running feet" -

because they have a quite
astonishing skill.

Before the railway arrived, the only
way the different tribes

could communicate with each other
was on foot.

So the Raramuri developed
the ability to run between villages,

sometimes for hundreds of hours,
without stopping.

This incredible skill was even
incorporated into a game.

This is called rarajipari.

Played by two or four players,

each team member kicks a wooden ball
ahead of himself in relay.

The winner is the team that gets
to the finish line first.

Sounds simple enough - however,
with the finish line often hundreds

of miles away,

this game can go on for days
without a break.

TRANSLATION:

But it isn't just the men who have
all the fun.

The women can easily give
the men a run for their money.

The Tarahumara treat running
as a fine art - something

to be learned slowly
and perfected over a lifetime.

For them, this is definitely
a marathon and not a sprint.

As our train weaves its way
through the Tarahumara Mountains,

our journey is about to
enter a new landscape...

..the astonishing Copper Canyon -

one of the greatest geological
wonders of the world.

We're travelling on one
of the world's most scenic railway

journeys, through the stunning
landscape of northern Mexico -

the Copper Canyon region.

It is a landscape and a train

that has been familiar to El Chepe
fan Pedro for many years.

I first started riding this train
when I was 17 years old.

I rode it with my grandfather.

At that moment I...I tell myself,

I want to find out how I can stay
riding this train.

So I started being a tour guide,

and ever since I can stay
on this train forever.

On this stage of the journey,
we are about to enter a part

of the country
Pedro knows very well -

the Copper Canyon.

Surprisingly, this area is not mined
for copper, but for silver and gold.

The name of the area comes
from the verdigris colour

of the lichen-covered rock.

Copper Canyon is actually six
separate yet co-joined gorges.

The combined lengths of all
these make it four times larger

than the Grand Canyon
in the United States.

Local tour guide Gustavo first came
to this region over 25 years ago.

It is something like 24,000
square miles.

It's perhaps the largest system
of canyons in the world.

And the one right behind me,

this is the Urique Canyon.

The Tarahumara people believe
these canyons were created

by the feet of giants.

The less poetic reality
is that these spectacular mountains

were formed from layers
of volcanic lava and ash laid

down around 40 million years ago.

And then this series of tectonic
and volcanic phenomena happened

to build up all this, a beautiful
landscape and mountains and canyons.

Since then, river erosion has carved
this network of valleys

into what you see today.

This dramatic railway line
was originally built to connect

the Gulf of Mexico in the east
with the Pacific Ocean in the West.

After much political wrangling,
this challenging project began

work in 1861.

Travelling on the train
today is Rosalvo Delgado.

She has worked for El Chepe
for almost two decades

and knows its history.

The construction, it took
over 100 years.

We have over 200km
of mountains,

so it took years to construct it.

And finally, 1940, the Mexican
government took over.

We had the Revolution in the middle
of these hundred years,

so it took ten years, approximately,

when they stopped constructing.

Delayed by revolution, financial
difficulties and politics,

the line was continued piecemeal
before eventually

being completed in 1961.

Over the century taken, the cost
of construction was $90 million.

El Chepe is now two hours
into its journey, and as the train

weaves its way around this majestic
landscape, it is time for it to pull

in to our first station.

Divisadero - whose name
means "lookout" or "viewpoint" -

is exactly that.

Perched at an altitude of
8,200 feet, it is known as Mexico's

most panoramic station.

And with this view, one can see why.

Apart from the station,
the only other things that exist

on this plateau are the
small hotel...

..and a cable car.

Created to give a panoramic
view of the union of two canyons -

the Tararecua and the Urique -

it will take ten minutes to cross.

And if the cable car isn't exciting
enough for you...

EXCITED SCREAMING

..At over one and a half miles
in length, this is the longest

zip wire in the world.

Woooooo!

However, after that adrenaline
rush, getting back will take

a little longer.

But the spectacular views
more than make up for it.

With our feet now firmly back on
terra firma, it's time to get back

onto the train.

So far, our adventure
has been a journey of extremes,

with sky-high peaks and deep,
mysterious valleys.

And ahead is no exception.

The Rockies on steroids. Yes.

Wow!

As we leave Divisadero, El Chepe
will be travelling at around 50mph

to our next stop, Bahuichivo.

It's a journey of just 28 miles,
but we'll dramatically descend

370 feet into another breathtaking
geological wonderland.

The train is about to enter
into the Urique Canyon -

the deepest
canyon in North America.

The El Chepe train is now three
and a half hours into its journey

from mountain to ocean in one day.

Travelling on a track gauge of
four feet, eight and a half inches,

the engine pulling El Chepe

is an EMD SD70 series
diesel electric locomotive.

With an overall length
of 72 feet and four inches,

at 120 tonnes,

this is a 4,500 horsepower,
16-cylinder beast

of an engine.

TRAIN HORN BLASTS

The landscape looks amazing, the
journey is... It's amazing.

So far, we have come 65 miles.

And as our train weaves its way
across the Sierra Madre...

..the passengers on board
can take in the sheer beauty

of the canyon system.

And for Jerry, crossing the
La Laja Bridge is a dream come true.

Holy cow! Look at that!

Woohoo!

They've gone for the guardrails.

The smoke is still coming
out of the tunnel.

That is just phenomenal.

I mean, the tunnel, coming right
into it, right into the bridge.

I mean, it doesn't get any better
than that.

It really doesn't.

Or maybe it will! I don't know.

On this train, you know, every
corner is a new surprise,

is a new "wow" moment, so...
Unbelievable.

Cut by hand and blasted
from the rock by dynamite,

these tunnels are a monumental
feat of engineering.

It is here on the cool of the high
canyon edge that our passengers

can peer down at one of the richest
and most diverse ecosystems

in the world.

It is a world that can be accessed
at our second stop, Bahuichivo -

a small town of 1,300 people that
has grown-up around the railway.

Around a mile or so from the station
is the astonishing Urique Canyon.

At 6,200 feet from the rim to river,
it is the deepest canyon

in North America.

And it is here that you can
experience this diverse ecosystem.

Over a drive of three hours from top
to bottom, with pine and oak forests

at the crest, as you descend
to the canyon floor

the temperature goes up
and the area becomes more humid.

Orlando is one of the locals here.

He is zipping through the
Urique Canyon to visit a friend

who is producing a drink
for an upcoming festival.

Right now, we are in Guapalaina -

the deepest place of the
Urique Canyon.

It is a magical place.

It's really amazing.

The canyon, the views.
The people are really friendly.

I love it.

I came to visit my friend.

Como estas?

They're making pinole
that is made out of corn.

They're having a festival
this weekend.

So that's why they are making
pinole.

Pinole is a drink made from ground
corn, water and spices.

Corn is a crop that grows well
in the heat of this valley,

but would not thrive where
the railway runs at the top.

They are very different climates.

My friend is a farmer and he grows
corn, beans,

and he will also
have a lot of fruit trees,

like banana, mango trees,

orange trees, a lot of fruits.

They only grow here.

In the sierra, you can get,
like, two degrees,

and here it's...right now
it's like 20 degrees.

So that's a huge difference.

It is a secret place for us,
because almost nobody knows

about this community.

Gracias. Gracias.

THEY SPEAK SPANISH

It's time to leave Urique and head
further in to the canyon system.

Onboard El Chepe,
it's time for lunch.

Gourmet chef Raul
is cooking up a smoky storm

in the galley kitchen.

TRANSLATION:

The menu for today is grilled ribeye
steak with roasted cactus

and onions,

guacamole, and a spicy salsa.

Cooking in these cramped conditions,

coupled with being constantly on the
move, are not ideal situations

for any chef.

But you'll not hear any
complaints from Jerry.

Outstanding.

Really outstanding. Wonderful.

I wouldn't expect the taste...
And the company is even better.

And if they fancy a glass of wine
with lunch, from their seats

our passengers can peer
down into the valley below

where, just 11 miles outside
Bahuichivo,

some of Mexico's best wine is made.

Quality control is only one
of the responsibilities

of local winemaker Bernardo.

He owns a hotel and vineyard in the
town of Cerocahui and tells

a fascinating story of survival.

This church is a Jesuit mission.

It dates back from the 1780s.

It was erected by the
Jesuit fathers who came

and founded this town of Cerocahui.

The settlers here soon realised
that, as well as food, the climate

was also perfect
for the production of wine.

These vines, they're descended
from back when the Jesuits came

here in 1780.

So they came, they had their
own vines, because, you know,

remember, they have to make their
own wine.

The King of Spain found out
that the whole continent

was very good to making wine.

So he saw that as a threat
to his economies.

So he prohibited, in America,
the growing of the grapevines,

and also he expelled the Jesuits.

King Charles III, concerned
that the Jesuits had acquired

too much wealth and influence and
were a bit too good at making the

local red, expelled
them from the area.

The Mexican vineyards fell
into ruin.

However, the vines survived.

When we opened the hotel back
in 1975, the gardener of the hotel,

he came in with these small vines.
He says, "You know, there are vines

"from the old Jesuits."
And we didn't know that,

so we start replanting them.

Now, 45 years later,

Bernardo has five hectares of vines

and produces one of the finest wines
in the country.

So it's a long story, but
it's a beautiful story.

Everything related with wine
is beautiful.

It's time to climb back
onboard our train as El Chepe

is reaching the end of the
canyon system at Temoris.

We are in Temoris.

Temoris is special
because here we have the opening

of the Chepe.

In 1961, one train comes from
Chihuahua,

the other train comes from Los
Mochis, and they meet here in order

to inaugurate

the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad.

On the 24th of November, 1961,
the Los Mochis from the south

met and joined up with the line
from Chihuahua in the north

for the very first time.

The historic moment was celebrated
by President Adolfo Lopez Mateos

with the building of a plaque
to commemorate the day.

After 100 years of
construction, the Chihuahua Pacifico

Railroad was finally complete.

And it is here that the train must

quickly descend 700 feet
from the mountain down to sea level.

This is three levels of tracks
that we pass.

We start from the third one,
the highest,

we are now in the second one,

and we're going to descend
for the first one.

To lose height quickly, El Chepe
must enter the Temoris Loop.

It is an astonishing piece
of Mexican engineering.

As our train enters La Pera Tunnel,
it will travel through 180 degrees

while descending 100 feet
inside the mountain.

As it leaves, the train will enter
another extreme bend,

this time crossing

the Santa Barbara Bridge
before curving once

more down to the valley floor.

Yeah, this is outstanding.

The train enters the La Pera Tunnel
which, incredibly,

is half a mile long.

While below, the local
tourist train is coming

from the other direction.

As it switches back on itself
and exits the tunnel, El Chepe

meets its opposite number
at this historic crossing.

As this is a single-track line, one
must wait for the other to pass.

And now we're meeting the original,

the older passenger train
that goes to Chihuahua now.

So this, its name,

Regional Turista.

It has two classes.

The yellow one
is the Regional Tourist...

..and the red one is Economy Class.

And if carving a 180-degree tunnel
through solid rock wasn't enough,

the Mexican engineers
had a further challenge -

constructing the extraordinary
Santa Barbara Bridge

across the River Septentrion.

To make the most of this moment,

the driver slows down.

Oh, wow!

Exiting the canyon system,

El Chepe now enters
a whole new world.

Our train is now heading out
onto the plains of Sinaloa,

where we will reach our destination
of Los Mochis -

the gateway to the Pacific.

It is now 1pm in the afternoon,

and El Chepe is speeding

towards the ocean.

After leaving Temoris, our train
enters the western state of Sinaloa

and travels 82 miles to our
penultimate station, El Fuerte.

Then it is nonstop to our
destination - Los Mochis.

Before it leaves the mountains
behind for good, there are two final

challenges for the train.

The first is the crossing
of the Chinipas Bridge.

Completed in 1961, two concrete
pillars support a three-span steel

truss that is almost 1,000 feet
in length and 335 feet high.

It is the highest bridge
on the line.

Although originally
built over a dry gorge,

the lower half of the bridge is now
submerged in a reservoir, named

the Chinipas River in honour
of the construction above.

I mean, look at it.
Look at it! Unbelievable!

No sooner is El Chepe across
the river than it passes

into tunnel 86.

It is the last and longest
tunnel on the journey.

At a mile and a quarter in length,
it takes over two minutes

to pass through.

Once on the other side,
the landscape takes

on a very different personality.

The mountains are now a distant
memory,

replaced by a fertile
Mexican landscape.

This is considered one of
the richest valleys in Mexico.

This is the state of Sinaloa.

Although famous historically

as a stronghold of Mexico's
drug cartels,

these flatlands are also renowned
as Mexico's breadbasket.

This irrigated plain produces much
of the country's wheat, corn,

tomatoes and cotton,
and is one of the richest

agricultural regions on Earth.

The things that you go by
and you see all aspects

of the community - people alongside
the tracks, people working

in the agricultural industry -

that's what makes this unique.

It's not just made for tourists.

It's kind of the stuff
of dreams for a rail fan.

The views here are broad and open
and very different from those seen

in Copper Canyon.

Although some find them
more interesting than others.

The only way to come across a sierra
is the train.

It's great to be able
to ride the train...

..to be able to meet a lot of nice
people from all over the world.

It is here that the train pulls
into our penultimate stop

on our journey - El Fuerte.

Founded in 1563 by the Spanish
conquistador Francisco de Ibarra.

For three centuries, El Fuerte
was the most important commercial

and agricultural centre of the vast
northwestern region of Mexico.

This is a traditional Mexican city
surrounded by an area steeped

in ancient mythology.

As you step out of town,
it is like stepping back in time.

The railroad cuts straight
through the territory of an ancient

indigenous people known
as the Yoreme, or "Los Mayos".

Some 40,000 Mayo live
in this region, still maintaining

their traditional way of life.

This is Jose Luis Varmez.

As well as being a healer,

Jose is also a monster musician,

as local resident Adrian explains.

He is a very respected musician

and also is one of the last
deer dancers.

And also their grandsons
are very, very good musicians.

They play the traditional
instruments.

An important part of the Mayo
culture is the performance

of the traditional deer dance.

The deer is considered a sacred
animal that used to be giving

support to the people
in the Indian tribe.

THEY CHANT IN OWN LANGUAGE

He says that he feels like
he is the deer.

He feels the strain,

he feels that he's dancing
like a real animal.

Fortunately, no deer were hurt
in the demonstration of this dance.

After taking a step into the past...

..it is time for the train
to re-enter the 21st century.

We are now on the final leg.

El Chepe will now rush to the sea
where it will complete its journey

from mountain to ocean.

We've had a phenomenal,
phenomenal day.

We're already planning to come back.

Onboard, Mauricio and his crew
are coming to the end of a long day.

Today was a very good day.

It was... The weather was wonderful.

Most of the people were pretty
happy, and the staff also was very,

very happy with the people
because they were pretty friendly.

Today was very calm
and very relaxed.

After nine hours on their feet,

it is time for Mauricio
and the team to relax a little.

My staff and I are going
to rest for two days,

and on Friday we're going
to be ready again to give the people

this journey and to be ambassadors
of Mexico in this trip

of the Copper Canyon
in the Chepe Express.

It's 6pm, and El Chepe
is reaching the end of the line -

Los Mochis.

On behalf of the Chepe Express
and Ferromex,

we thank you for
travelling with us.

We hope you enjoyed the trip.

Los Mochis is the final stop
for the Chihuahua Pacifico Railway.

And for Jerry - rail fan and
train nerd - it is the fulfilment

of a lifelong ambition.

If you like trains,
you won't be disappointed.

Not at all.

We have now reached the beach at
Maviri and the Pacific Ocean,

and our journey has come to an end.

Time is a fickle mistress,

but today we have taken plenty
of it to explore the incredible

landscape of northern Mexico.

We have marvelled at the splendour
of the Copper Canyon...

..run into a little-known
secret civilisation...

..and gloried in the joy of
travelling from mountain to ocean

in just one day.

The Chihuahua Pacifico Express,
affectionately known as "El Chepe",

is one of the great train journeys
of Mexico and the world.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media