Re: Last Run Of Southwest Chief Over Raton Pass?
Author: Mike Swanson
Date: 02-25-2014 - 18:02
Show me a single commuter line that does; I do agree that good ol' "Ambassador Bill" Richardson may have shafted us with the RailRunner, though (God knows he and his cronies have done so with damn near everything else he's done as Governor!).
I doubt, though, that Albuquerque's going to drop off of the list of cities directly served by Amtrak, though. Not only is it the largest city served on the old "passenger main" between Belen (or more properly, Dalies) and KC, but it's the largest city served between Los Angeles and KC as well, and I doubt Amtrak wants to lose the passenger revenue generated here in the Duke City. Keep in mind there's a perfectly servicable wye located just SW of the main yard that could be rebuilt for far less than the cost of building a new station and crew change/fueling facilities in the Belen area (good luck finding a place for that, unless BNSF wants to let Amtrak refuel its trains at the yard there and transfer passengers to/from buses to/from ABQ and points north; yeah, right!!). Throw in the fact that the Isleta Jct. - Belen route has been upgraded to permit 79 MPH running and has CTC (and is ready for PTC - if/when it's ever installed) and there's no reason why direct service to and from Albuquerque has to end. I'd very much prefer to keep the current route, though (not that there's much hope for that outcome, unfortunately)...