# Rail Runner Celebrates 200,000 Milestone



## AlanB (Oct 20, 2006)

> (10-13-06)- This morning following the arrival of the 8:45 Rail Runner train at the Downtown Albuquerque Station, commuter Bill Patterson became the 200,000th passenger to ride the New Mexico Rail Runner Express!


The full story along with a picture can be found here.

Not bad for a little service that's only three months old and not even running the full route yet!


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2006)

AlanB said:


> > (10-13-06)- This morning following the arrival of the 8:45 Rail Runner train at the Downtown Albuquerque Station, commuter Bill Patterson became the 200,000th passenger to ride the New Mexico Rail Runner Express!
> 
> 
> The full story along with a picture can be found here.
> ...


What explains this success? On the website, it looks like it has only three station stops.


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## AlanB (Oct 20, 2006)

Guest said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > > (10-13-06)- This morning following the arrival of the 8:45 Rail Runner train at the Downtown Albuquerque Station, commuter Bill Patterson became the 200,000th passenger to ride the New Mexico Rail Runner Express!
> ...


Well I'm sure that at least part of the sucess is simply the fact that the service has been free for the first 3 months, plus I'm sure that there have been some who rode it simply out of curiosity or because they were railfans.

But I also suspect that the following has something to do with it too; that being the traffic in that area, the brand new trains, the free parking, and the promotion that the state gave the train.


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## boratwanksta (Oct 24, 2006)

are there any plans to create an east-west route, or at least one going east of Alburquerque? i've looked at their site before, and i only remember seeing their plans to extend the line north to Santa Fe(and eventually further north from there to around Raton and the NM/CO line, and south to Belen).

its very encouraging that there still is some political will in places to start up commuter rail. the fact that one just started up smoothly in Nashville also reinforces my point that there are a lot of people around the country living in areas without commuter rail who'd love to see such a system started locally.


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## frj1983 (Oct 24, 2006)

boratwanksta said:


> are there any plans to create an east-west route, or at least one going east of Alburquerque? i've looked at their site before, and i only remember seeing their plans to extend the line north to Santa Fe(and eventually further north from there to around Raton and the NM/CO line, and south to Belen).
> its very encouraging that there still is some political will in places to start up commuter rail. the fact that one just started up smoothly in Nashville also reinforces my point that there are a lot of people around the country living in areas without commuter rail who'd love to see such a system started locally.


I believe there has been some discussion of expanding that system, however, the money thing stares them in the face (that and qualifying for Federal help). I do recall seeing the railrunner coaches in Eola yard in Aurora last year and I really liked the designs on them.


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## battalion51 (Oct 24, 2006)

The other challenge is that the east-west route is part of the BNSF Transcon, a very high density line. So in order for BNSF to buy into the project they'd require at least triple, possibly quadruple tracking, niether of which is very cheap.


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## George Harris (Oct 25, 2006)

West is the Transcon, as Battalion 51 says, heavily loaded with trains, in fact to the point that BNSF is putting in some third main. East is no track at all without going south to Belen first. then you go east on the transcon. the part through Abo Canyon is still single track and limited to 40 mph. BNSF has a plan to double track through here, but it will still be a 40 mph section of railroad. It was supposed to be done this year, but it is being fought tooth and nail by one of the large local landowners. The way the BNSF plan is, it appears they are anticipating having to also add a third track here in the future. If commuter service is to be done, it would need more speed and also a third track NOW.


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## frj1983 (Oct 25, 2006)

OK,

Again my addled brain may be failing me, but I thought a section of that line was sold to the State? transportation Group? which set up this Commuter rail system... I'm at work so I don't have my RR Atlas with me, am I wrong about this? and wouldn't whoever bought the section of line be responsible for adding track to it?


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## gswager (Oct 25, 2006)

frj1983 said:


> OK,
> Again my addled brain may be failing me, but I thought a section of that line was sold to the State? transportation Group? which set up this Commuter rail system... I'm at work so I don't have my RR Atlas with me, am I wrong about this? and wouldn't whoever bought the section of line be responsible for adding track to it?


Transcon runs east and west, never touch Albuquerque. From the west, it runs along I-40 and then go southeast toward Belen. After Belen, it takes a long and steady climb toward Abo Canyon into middle of nowhere until crossing over Pecos River bridge (Ft. Sumner). The crew stop is in Clovis. Abo Canyon, Pecos River bridge, and BNSF/UP crossing (bridge) are the only areas in NM are in single track. Right now Abo Canyon is in the process of upgrading to double track. Last time I drove was in the spring and they're moving the dirt.

The line that NM bought is Raton subdivision which is not part of BNSF transcon. The line, running north is from Belen, all the way to Colorado, via Albuquerque, south of Santa Fe (Lamy), Las Vegas, Raton, and Trinidad. Few years ago, the frequent traffic was coal mine, but it was closed down. The line is not yet modernized. Some areas are stick rails and most area still used semaphore. If the transcon is congested or shut down due to accidents, BNSF may use Raton subdivision as a relief route, but it is in mountainous areas which requires pushers.

I hope it clears you up.


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## MrFSS (Oct 25, 2006)

gswager said:


> The line that NM bought is Raton subdivision which is not part of BNSF transcon. The line, running north is from Belen, all the way to Colorado, via Albuquerque, south of Santa Fe (Lamy), Las Vegas, Raton, and Trinidad. Few years ago, the frequent traffic was coal mine, but it was closed down. The line is not yet modernized. Some areas are stick rails and most area still used semaphore. If the transcon is congested or shut down due to accidents, BNSF may use Raton subdivision as a relief route, but it is in mountainous areas which requires pushers.


That explains why I never saw any freights coming down I-25 two weeks ago. From southern Colorado, across Raton, and down to Santa Fe, never saw anything. Looks like nice track and was double most places I could see it well.
I kick myself I didn't have enough time while in ABQ to ride the new train. Especially since it was still free!!


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## frj1983 (Oct 26, 2006)

gswager said:


> frj1983 said:
> 
> 
> > OK,
> ...


Thanks for the excelent summation gswager!


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## VentureForth (Feb 22, 2007)

There is expansion being planned, and that is partially along the ROW that the State bought between Belen and Trinidad, CO. They have finally decided on a plan to expand the track to Santa Fe, using their purchased ROW to take them past Bernalillo to the North about another 10 miles or so, then they will be building brand new track in the median of I-25 and then joining up with the scenic route Santa Fe Southern (which the state also bought the ROW to).

The rest of the ROW was purchased at part of the bulk deal. They got the 70 miles they wanted for like $275 Million and the last couple hundred miles to Trinidad was like $5 mil more. This is an interesting section of track, though. As good of a condition that its in, you'll probably see more passenger service on these tracks (SW Chief) than freights! And the stick track ain't bad. It's 70 MPH with semaphores and it's smoother than a lot of welded track I've been on.


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## VentureForth (Feb 23, 2007)

Officially hit 300,000 today. South of ABQ is still free and ABQ North is still free for Valencia County residents.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2007)

VentureForth said:


> Officially hit 300,000 today. South of ABQ is still free and ABQ North is still free for Valencia County residents.


Nice

I wonder whether Bill Richardson (NM governor, and a force behind this) , if by some stroke of chance became president, would support Amtrak the way it has been strongly needing.


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## printman2000 (Feb 25, 2007)

I am going to be in Albuquerque in a couple of weeks. Does anyone know a good "railfan" ride on the Rail Runner? I cannot seem to make out a good schedule where I would not be stuck at a station for a long wait.


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## VentureForth (Feb 25, 2007)

Your best daylight bet is to hop on at Downtown ABQ at 11:25, go North to Belen, arrive at 11:50; 16 minute wait, then it becomes #509 that goes all the way down to Belen from 12:06 to 13:15. In Belen it returns 15 minutes later and returns to ABQ at 14:10.

It's a three hour ride, but you'll get to see the whole route twice, forwards and back.

Be prepared to pay $2 or $4.... That'd be it, though.


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## George Harris (Feb 26, 2007)

And, if it is on time probably see the eastbound Chief when you head south of Alb. After you get back to Albuquerque, hand around a while for the westbound Chief. Why am I still sitting here instead of being on my way there? Oh, yeah, the job.

George


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## gswager (Feb 27, 2007)

VentureForth said:


> Your best daylight bet is to hop on at Downtown ABQ at 11:25, go North to Belen, arrive at 11:50; 16 minute wait, then it becomes #509 that goes all the way down to Belen from 12:06 to 13:15. In Belen it returns 15 minutes later and returns to ABQ at 14:10.
> It's a three hour ride, but you'll get to see the whole route twice, forwards and back.
> 
> Be prepared to pay $2 or $4.... That'd be it, though.


It should be "Go North to Sandoval County/US 550."


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## printman2000 (Mar 1, 2007)

Thanks for the response. I was trying to work out a schedule that did not leave from downtown (since they parking is not free), but could not get one to work well.

If we decide to only go one way, is the trip north or south better?


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## gswager (Mar 1, 2007)

printman2000 said:


> Thanks for the response. I was trying to work out a schedule that did not leave from downtown (since they parking is not free), but could not get one to work well.
> If we decide to only go one way, is the trip north or south better?


South would be better because it's a longest route until the Santa Fe will be open in late 2008 (that means 2009). There's another way to park free- try different station. I think only downtown ABQ is parking fee station.


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