CPKC Inaugurates the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge
By Isbac Martínez
February 11, 2025
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has built the second international railway bridge connecting the city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, with Laredo, Texas, investing $100 million in the project.
This new rail link will enhance connectivity and streamline railway transit, increasing the flow of goods between Mexico and the United States through this strategic corridor.
The bridge is named after Patrick J. Ottensmeyer, former President and CEO of CPKC, who passed away in 2023, in recognition of his contributions and lasting legacy within the company.
“With this international railway bridge, CPKC Mexico is doubling its freight transport capacity across the border, North America's largest gateway. This project symbolizes cooperation and commitment to strengthening trade and economic ties within the USMCA bloc, fostering a more integrated, efficient, and competitive region,” said Oscar Augusto Del Cueto Cuevas, President of CPKC Mexico.
CPKC is the first and only single-line transnational railway connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico, providing unparalleled access to major ports, from Vancouver to the Canadian Atlantic, and from the Gulf of Mexico to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. The company operates approximately 20,000 miles of track and employs 20,000 railway workers.
Across the seven international railway bridges in northern Mexico, more than 3,500 railcars transport 69 million tons of goods annually, accounting for 53% of the country’s total railway freight.
The inauguration of this crucial railway crossing was led by Oscar Augusto Del Cueto Cuevas, President and Executive Representative of CPKC Mexico, accompanied by Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation; Américo Villarreal Anaya, Governor of Tamaulipas; Carmen Lilia Canturosas, Mayor of Nuevo Laredo; Andrés Layus, Head of the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency; and Eduardo Garza Robles, President of COMCE Noreste Laredo Chapter, representing Francisco Cervantes, National President of the Business Coordinating Council.