Southwest Chief Stop In Albuquerque

[Dovecote]

My wife and I will be making a cross country trip at the end of the month from Fullerton to Atlanta via the Southwest Chief, Capitol Limited, and Crescent. Our stop in Albuquerque makes a scheduled 28 minute stop. I understand at this stop Native Americans sell handmade silver jewelry and rugs from the train platform. Has anyone purchased these items? If so, were you statisfied with the prices and the quality of the merchandise? We plan on purchasing these items if we hear favorable reports. Thanks.

 

[pebbleworm]

I didn't see anything fabulous, but there were a few nicer pieces among a raft of jewelery wholesale catalog schlock. Trust your eye and you should be fine. And it's a fun way to spend a fairly long service stop, a lot easier than the mad dash to the store in the station and junk shop across the street in Grand Junction, CO on the California Zephyr. I'd like to see some food vendors, though.

 

[A.J.]

I purchased several items during the Albuquerque stop and was very pleased with all of them. You should have plenty of time to look around and compare prices if need be. I bought a small pendant for myself and have worn it nearly every day since and at less than $20 it was a bargain. also, the sellers are very friendly and you might enjoy chatting with them. have a great trip!

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Its too bad LA bound Chiefs make a stop at Albuquerque at night.

 

[Trogdor]

Its too bad LA bound Chiefs make a stop at Albuquerque at night.

Since when was 4 pm considered to be at night?

 

[amamba]

I can't personally speak to the stuff at ABQ, but when I went to Santa Fe a few years ago I purchased some lovely jewelery from the Native Americans who set up their wares in the main square in Santa Fe. I got a beautiful pendant on a black strand of beads that I wear fairly often and it has held up very well. My sister got a beautiful hand hammered metal cuff bracelet.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Mrs. RRB and I have stopped on several trips and she usually finds one or two nice pieces to bring home. Wife is somewhat of an expert in native American jewelry and art and a geology major and knows what is good and what is not. There are two or three of the dealers mostly selling tourist grade items but one lady with a large set of tables had some very nice items each time we stopped and sometimes priced within reason.

Its is alway fun to see what is there especially if there is a long layover. Once got into ABQ an hour early and had lots of time to explore the station and surrounding territory before reboarding.

Have a great time.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

I bought a blanket for my mom last time i was there in 08 for $5 and it's nice and warm and hand made.

 

[Acela150]

My Dad and I bought two blankets off of them in 07'.. Very nice blankets! I would say bring some extra cash for the stand.

 

[rtabern]

Whenever I go from CHI-LAX, I usually like to take #421 so I can have the extra day on the train... but I did do #3 back at beginning of September 2010 and we made the stop at ABQ.

Yeah, the Native Americans sell pretty decent stuff out on the platform there. I ended up getting a couple of Route 66 New Mexico/Arizona post cards to mail back home... got 2 blankets that were pretty nice... and 2 pieces of pottery. The blankets were warm and toasty and remind me of my trip on the Southwest Chief whenever I use them at night... and whenever I see the pottery in my living room it reminds me of the trip.

I dont know if I would have bought something if I wasn't into sentimental things... but my condo is decorated in Amtrak posters and memorablila and other stuff from my trips.

I try and pick up something small from all my train trips.

I think the most "interesting" souviner I got was from the stop on #421 in El Paso, TX in 2007. We were about 45 minutes EARLY into El Paso... meaning we'd be there for almost 2 hours. I saw on the GPS that the Mexican border was 6 blocks from the station... so yes... I walked over there and bought a blanket and a few other trinkets... and made it back to the train with 25 minutes to spare. With the way Juarez has got increasingly dangerous I don't think I'd do it again though.

 

[Everydaymatters]

I've bought a few necklaces at the Alb station. I gave most of it to my niece and kept only one or two for myself. The pendants were ok, but the chains were very inexpensive and easily broken.

The last time I was there, the weather wasn't that great and there weren't a lot of sellers. I didn't see much pottery or actual Native weavings, blankets, etc.

 

[BigBlueBuddha]

My wife and I will be making a cross country trip at the end of the month from Fullerton to Atlanta via the Southwest Chief, Capitol Limited, and Crescent. Our stop in Albuquerque makes a scheduled 28 minute stop. I understand at this stop Native Americans sell handmade silver jewelry and rugs from the train platform. Has anyone purchased these items? If so, were you statisfied with the prices and the quality of the merchandise? We plan on purchasing these items if we hear favorable reports. Thanks.

I've shopped and purchased.

For my money, Veronica Yellowhorse has the best jewelry. Most of the vendors are simply "retailers" and sell mass-market items, not necessarily their own work (which is fine), but Ms. Yellowhorse is an artist and makes and sells her own items (and some mass-market jewelry as well). Her own work is arranged separately from the mass-market stuff on her tables. It is signed on the back by her; unsigned items in any of the vendor stands are generally mass-market. You can ask her to show you some of her pieces in your price range. Some vendors sell non-jewelry items (rugs, etc.) but I don't know about that stuff.

 

[yarrow]

the stuff for sale on the platform has been, to my view, pretty poor. most from mexico or china. a far cry from the days of fred harvey. we have always arrived in abq very early, heading either east or west, and have had on the order of 90 min. there is a wonderful, old fashioned store (maisel's)in the 500 block of central ave (rte 66). it's about 5 blocks from the station. wonderful selection of native made items at pretty fair prices. as much a museum as a store. we have always had plenty of time to walk down and take a look but that is of course an individual decision.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Its too bad LA bound Chiefs make a stop at Albuquerque at night.

Since when was 4 pm considered to be at night?

Well when I took the Chief it arrived at Albuquerque at 10. Guess it was very late.

 

[amamba]

Its too bad LA bound Chiefs make a stop at Albuquerque at night.

Since when was 4 pm considered to be at night?

December in New England - it can be dark at 4 pm! it is very depressing. I went to college in Maine, and I swear it used to get dark at 3:45 pm right before winter break started (so around December 15ish). It is not only the northern part of the time zone, but also the eastern part of the time zone, so it gets darker much earlier than say Ohio, which is at the western end of Eastern Time.

 

[Edgefan]

My wife and I will be making a cross country trip at the end of the month from Fullerton to Atlanta via the Southwest Chief, Capitol Limited, and Crescent. Our stop in Albuquerque makes a scheduled 28 minute stop. I understand at this stop Native Americans sell handmade silver jewelry and rugs from the train platform. Has anyone purchased these items? If so, were you statisfied with the prices and the quality of the merchandise? We plan on purchasing these items if we hear favorable reports. Thanks.

I've shopped and purchased.

For my money, Veronica Yellowhorse has the best jewelry. Most of the vendors are simply "retailers" and sell mass-market items, not necessarily their own work (which is fine), but Ms. Yellowhorse is an artist and makes and sells her own items (and some mass-market jewelry as well). Her own work is arranged separately from the mass-market stuff on her tables. It is signed on the back by her; unsigned items in any of the vendor stands are generally mass-market. You can ask her to show you some of her pieces in your price range. Some vendors sell non-jewelry items (rugs, etc.) but I don't know about that stuff.

Absolutely! Also Betty Yellowhorse. (Mother/Daughter) My wife made her first purchase from Betty a couple years ago. We went on to family in southern Cal. We ended up doing the tourist thing in old town San Diego. There was a shop with silver/turquoise jewelry. Naturally, who goes in , my wife. The proprietor was actually quite learned on all things turquoise. I learned a lot from him, and became a believer in my wife's eye for quality. A bracelet that my wife purchased for $60.00 on the platform was easily worth $200.00 retail. He was very impressed with the workmanship. We have made several passes through ABQ and always have made a purchase from either one of them. We will be on the ABQ platform July 5th of this year and are currently budgeting accordingly.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Here is a picture of one of the vendors.

I thought I had more.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Its too bad LA bound Chiefs make a stop at Albuquerque at night.

Since when was 4 pm considered to be at night?

December in New England - it can be dark at 4 pm! it is very depressing. I went to college in Maine, and I swear it used to get dark at 3:45 pm right before winter break started (so around December 15ish). It is not only the northern part of the time zone, but also the eastern part of the time zone, so it gets darker much earlier than say Ohio, which is at the western end of Eastern Time.

Years ago I lived in the upper peninsula of Michigan - that's above the state of Wisconsin. at 4pm in December you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Yes, 4pm can be very, very dark.

 

[zephyr17]

Its too bad LA bound Chiefs make a stop at Albuquerque at night.

Since when was 4 pm considered to be at night?

December in New England - it can be dark at 4 pm! it is very depressing. I went to college in Maine, and I swear it used to get dark at 3:45 pm right before winter break started (so around December 15ish). It is not only the northern part of the time zone, but also the eastern part of the time zone, so it gets darker much earlier than say Ohio, which is at the western end of Eastern Time.

Years ago I lived in the upper peninsula of Michigan - that's above the state of Wisconsin. at 4pm in December you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Yes, 4pm can be very, very dark.

But that is a whole lot further north than Albuquerque. 4pm isn't going to be dark at Albuquerque's latitude, even on 12/21.

 

[Dovecote]

Thanks for all the great responses and recommendations. Keep them coming!!!

 

[Bob Denton, N. California]

Veronica Yellowhorse's sterling hardened green-and-purple opal ring is definitely a crowd-pleaser. The sterling on the side of the ring where the stones are, is quite thick, I think. Knowing she made and sells her own genuine Navajo jewelry is icing on the cake.

For all this, I only paid about $87 including tax. To me that's quite a good value and investment. It's a great way to remember a great early-summer trip from Sacramento, California on Amtrak's Southwest Chief to Trinidad, Colorado for a day and 2 nights.

 

[sttsxm]

I bought a nice ring, and a few pendants...just little animals like a bird and some others....i've been very happy with them...nothing big or fancy..mine are from veronica yellowhorse too! i think i spent 60 bucks total for maybe 3 pendants and the ring...you get free sterling chains, but i stuck the charms on my own chains....she had a LOT of stuff, big pieces, small ones too...in a wide range of prices...

 

[Dovecote]

Perhaps I should comment on our experience with the ABQ vendors last year since this thread has been revived. We purchased two items from Veronica Yellowhorse (just look for her overhead banner by the station) and was satisfied with the price and quality of the items. We looked at the other vendors on the platform but was far more impressed with Veronica's offerings. My wife purchased a sterling silver bracelet with rectangular inlay stones of different colors (turquoise, navy blue, burgundy, and green). I purchased for my mother a green turquoise necklace. The 18 inch necklace consisted of about 30 different size stones. The cost of the bracelet was $100 and the necklace was $80. Both my wife and mother have received numerous complements on these items.

 

[debmep]

Thanks for this thread. One of the main reasons we picked ABQ for our destination was shopping for Indian jewerly. We want to replace our 30year old traditional wedding rings with turquois inlay silver bands. I'm going to have so much fun shopping, DH probably not so much, but oh well....

 

[reefgeek]

The stuff I saw on the platform was really crummy. I wish I knew there was stuff out front of the station!