New Mexico Rail Runner Express
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a
commuter rail system serving the metropolitan area of
Albuquerque, New Mexico. It began operation on Friday, July 14, 2006. The system is in Phase I of planed development, operating on an existing
BNSF Railway right of way from
Belen to
Bernalillo. Phase II, scheduled to open in 2008, will extend the line northward to
Santa Fe.
The name "Rail Runner" is a play on the name of New Mexico's state bird, the roadrunner. The association with the road runner is meant to evoke images of rapid movement.
Encyclopedia
The
New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a
commuter rail system serving the metropolitan area of
Albuquerque, New Mexico. It began operation on Friday, July 14, 2006. The system is in Phase I of planed development, operating on an existing
BNSF Railway right of way from
Belen to
Bernalillo. Phase II, scheduled to open in 2008, will extend the line northward to
Santa Fe.
The name "Rail Runner" is a play on the name of New Mexico's state bird, the roadrunner. The association with the road runner is meant to evoke images of rapid movement. Interestingly, the name is almost identical to that adopted in 1990 by an Albuquerque-based model railroad club, the New Mexico Rail RunNers.
Rolling Stock
The Rail Runner power includes five Motive Power MPI MP36PH-3C diesel-electric
locomotives that operate on
biodiesel fuel.
Passenger cars include five
Bombardier BiLevel Coaches, and five Bombardier BiLevel Cab cars. All rolling stock has already been delivered, and groundbreaking for the first Rail Runner station took place on November 1, 2005. The FRA reporting marks for the Rail Runner Express is NMRX. Locomotives have three-digit road numbers beginning with the numeral 1 . Coaches have four-digit road numbers beginning with the numeral 1 . Cab cars have four-digit road numbers beginning with 11 . Restrooms and water fountains are available in the cab cars. Bicycles are permitted on the first level of all coaches.
The livery of the New Mexico Rail Runner depicts a roadrunner on the locomotive and trailing tailfeathers on the coaches.
Stations
Phase I of the commuter rail line includes nine stations. From North to South, they are:
- Sandoval County/U.S. 550 OPEN!
- Downtown Bernalillo Opens Late 2006
- Sandia Pueblo Opens Late 2006
- Los Ranchos/Journal Center OPEN!
- Downtown Albuquerque OPEN!
- Rio Bravo/Airport Opens Late 2006
- Isleta Pueblo Opens Late 2006
- Los Lunas Opens Late 2006
- Belen Opens Late 2006
Schedule
Ticketing
For the first three months of operation the train will be completely free. This is to encourage people to ride the train and for commuters to focus on fitting it into their schedule.
Starting October 14th and through the end of 2006, there will be a discount flat fare of $2 one-way, with options for a single-day, 10-day, or monthly pass. Children 17 & under, seniors 65 & over, and disabled will be charged half the normal fare. Children under 3 will ride for free.
Starting January 1st, 2007, a permanent zone based fare structure will be established.
Connecting rail and bus transit services
The Rail Runner connects with Amtrak, Greyhound, and the New Mexico Park and Ride in downtown Albuquerque. There are connections to numerous
ABQRide routes in Downtown Albuquerque and Route 151 at the Los Ranchos/Journal Center station.
There is a shuttle to Rio Rancho at the US 550 station, as well as a New Mexico Park and Ride lot.
Phase II
Various alternatives are under consideration for the extension of the line to Santa Fe. Using the existing BNSF track, which is filled with sharp curves, would require the train to slow to 15 miles per hour in some places, so new tracks will need to be laid to produce travel times comparable to the automobile.
Justification
The Central New Mexico corridor, which is home to half the state's population, is anchored by Santa Fe and Albuquerque . The two cities are connected by a single four-lane
interstate highway,
I-25. Within the Albuquerque metro area, the urbanized parts of Valencia County are separated from Albuquerque by Native American
Pueblos. In fact, there are seven Pueblos along the entire corridor, making the addition of new roadways or the expansion of current capacity unlikely.
The high real-estate prices in Santa Fe mean that many of the people who work there must commute from Albuquerque or
Rio Rancho. Furthermore, the capital is home to many of the state's cultural institutions and tourist attractions, and most out-of-state visitors are forced to make the 60-mile journey from the Sunport by car. Commute times are expected to increase 80% on some routes by 2025, making the introduction of additional forms of transportation a priority to local governments.
Criticism
Critics of the Rail Runner system believe that funds would be better spent widening
Interstate 25 between Santa Fe and Tramway Boulevard in Albuquerque and also widening I-25 south of the Albuquerque International Sunport to Belen. Preliminary estimates indicate that the service will operate at a deficit, requiring up to $10 million in government subsidies annually.
External links
