After 36 years of arduous work, the Mexican Railroad connecting Mexico City with the port of Veracruz was inaugurated on January 1, 1873. This route includes the bridge crossing the Metlac River ravine and six tunnels. The route was used until the 1970s when the Metlac bridge began to show stability issues. On October 17, 1985, a new bridge parallel to the Córdoba-Orizaba highway was inaugurated.