Mexico City Metro Line 12

Line 12
A golden-colored partial squircle. It has written inside the number twelve in white.
Multiple people wait at the platforms of a station.
Platforms and an opposite-direction transfer bridge at Lomas Estrella station
Overview
Other name(s)Golden Line
Native nameLínea 12 / Línea dorada
LocaleMexico City
Termini
Connecting lines
Stations20
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemMexico City Metro
Operator(s)Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC)
Rolling stockFE-10
Ridership369,590 passengers per day (2019)[1]
History
Opened30 October 2012
Temporarily closed (Culhuacán–Tláhuac)12 March 2014
Reopened28 October 2015
Temporarily closed3 May 2021[2]
Technical
Line length24.110 km (15 mi)
Track length25.100 km (16 mi)
Number of tracks2
CharacterElevated, at-grade and underground subway
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification1.5 kV DC overhead catenary
Operating speed36 km/h (22 mph)
Route map

Tláhuac yard
Tláhuac
Tlaltenco
Zapotitlán
Nopalera
Olivos
Tezonco
Periférico Oriente
Calle 11
Lomas Estrella
San Andrés Tomatlán
Culhuacán
Atlalilco
Mexico City Metro Line 8
Mexicaltzingo
Ermita
Mexico City Metro Line 2
Eje Central
Parque de los Venados
Zapata
Mexico City Metro Line 3
Hospital 20 de Noviembre
Insurgentes Sur
Mixcoac
Mexico City Metro Line 7
Operational
Under construction
Valentín Campa
Álvaro Obregón
Observatorio
Mexico City Metro Line 1
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Line 12, also known as the Golden Line from its color on the system map, is a rapid transit line of the Mexico City Metro network. It travels 25.1 kilometers (15.6 mi) along the boroughs of Benito Juárez, Iztapalapa and Tláhuac in southwestern, central-southern and southeastern Mexico City, serving twenty stations. The line was inaugurated on 30 October 2012, going from Tláhuac to Mixcoac station. In 2016, work to expand it to Observatorio station started. All the stations are accessible to people with disabilities as they have elevators, tactile pavings and braille signage plates.

Line 12 was built by Mexican construction company Empresas ICA in association with Alstom Mexicana and Grupo Carso. It runs at grade, overground and underground levels. The interchange stations are Mixcoac (Line 7), Zapata (Line 3), Ermita (Line 2) and Atlalilco (Line 8), and when completed, Observatorio (Line 1). The line connects with other transport systems in the city, including the trolleybus and the Metrobús systems. In 2019, Line 12 had a total ridership of 134,900,367 passengers, averaging 369,590 passengers per day.

Since its planning, the line underwent several modifications in its layout and characteristics. It was originally planned as a mostly subway line that would operate with rubber-tired trains. Also, the line would not operate primarily along Tláhuac Avenue. However, due to time and budget constraints the project underwent modifications after its announcement, and it became a combined under- and overground line with steel-tired trains running elevated along Tláhuac Avenue. Subsidence was reported on several columns along the elevated section before testings with trains started. From the onset of service, problems on the line were still reported especially on the elevated part of the line. In early 2014, operations were halted on that section and they were resumed until late 2015. The elevated track later suffered the impact of a Mw7.1 earthquake in September 2017. In May 2021, a portion of the line's overpass collapsed while a train was on it. 26 people were killed and line operations had to be suspended. Preliminary investigations have suggested that the bridge had a deficient and questionable construction. On January 15, 2023, the section from Mixcoac to Atlalilco reopened for service. On July 15, 2023, the section from Atlalilco to Periférico Oriente also reopened for service. On January 30, 2024, the rest of line from Periférico Oriente to Tláhuac reopened.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference passnrank19 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Cierran toda la Línea 12 del Metro; RTP brindará servicio de apoyo" [All Metro Line 12 is closed; RTP will provide back-up service]. Chilango (in Spanish). 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.