Traqueros: Mexican Railroad Workers in the United States, 1870 to 1930 by Jeffrey Marcos Garcílazo (review)

Beginning in the latter part of the nineteenth century, railroads transformed the economy, environment, and cultural landscape of the United States. A massive labor force was required to construct, maintain, and operate the extensive rail network that crisscrossed the Southwest and Great Plains. Traqueros, Mexican workers, made up much of that labor force. According to Professor Garcílazo, however, the traqueros’ contributions have been largely ignored or overlooked. This study, which focuses primarily on the Southwest and Great Plains regions, sheds light on the Mexican laborers who performed this onerous, dangerous, and essential work. Garcílazo’s informative book covers the development and profound impact of the railroads on the United States; the work experiences of traqueros; organizational efforts; community formation; how railroad work shaped and impacted the culture of the traqueros; and the strategies and practices used by railroad employers to recruit and retain Mexican laborers.

For example, Garcílazo discusses the various strategies used by employers to attract and retain Mexican workers. One method involved encouraging workers to emigrate with their families. Proponents believed this practice produced a more malleable, reliable work force because women and families fostered stability, positive behavior, and a stronger work ethic among traqueros. To accomplish this, rail companies provided low-cost or rent-free housing for spouses and families. Much of this housing was of the most rudimentary kind, often consisting of boxcars, or shacks constructed from discarded materials. Despite primitive and dangerous living conditions, these communities were a source of spiritual and cultural sustenance, based on customs and traditions brought from home but also shaped by the common experiences of life as a railroad worker. Mostly located along major rail lines, some of these makeshift settlements eventually developed into more permanent communities, especially in the Great Plains.

According to Garcílazo, a majority of Mexican workers experienced exploitation and racism from employers and supervisors. They endured deprivation, hardship, loneliness, and isolation. Organized efforts to combat poor working conditions and treatment proved difficult because of the highly mobile and seasonal nature of the work. More often than not, workers undertook individual or small-group actions if working conditions proved too onerous or supervisors too abusive. These actions usually involved impromptu work stoppages, minor sabotage, work slowdowns, or simply seeking work elsewhere.

In his work, Garcílazo accentuates the strength, resilience, and resoluteness of many traqueros determined to earn a living and make a better life for themselves and their families. The workers resisted the dehumanizing treatment inflicted upon them, while retaining their sense of identity and culture. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including personal recollections, Professor Garcílazo’s book is a worthwhile introduction for those who are new to the fields of Mexican immigration and labor history in the pre-Depression era of the United States.