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I have written to both my Senator and Representative on the Spaceport issue. No response. I will write them on the rail issue, and expect the same result. I believe they are afraid to be the first to say 'The Emperor Has No Clothes'.
Good article by Joe Carraro. What is overlooked by everyone, including him, is that once past Santa Domingo pueblo there is no current fast way to get to Santa Fe by rail. The RR passes under I-25 at the base of La Bajada hill and turns east to Cerrillos, Galisteo and Lamy. That part of the line is still relatively fast (50-55 mph). At Lamy, the line branches to Santa Fe and winds through the subdivisions east of Santa Fe.
As a rail fan who used to live in Santa Fe, I have both ridden and "chased" trains throughout the area. The Lamy-Santa Fe portion of the line is 15 mph. I rode the last Santa Fe train out of there back in the 1990's and the line is now the Santa Fe Southern and gives tourist rides to Lamy. Yeah, you can travel it, but I expect a one-way ride from Belen would consume half a day and get you to Santa Fe just about in time for lunch.
The only viable way to run a train to Santa Fe is to build a new right of way that somehow goes up La Bajada hill (difficult given the steep grade required; even today's cars shift down in gear) and then to go through the SF subdivisions -- NIMBY's will come out of the fake pueblo style woodwork if that is proposed!
The only possible, realistic solution I forsee that could work, is to have the train terminate at La Bajada, which already has a spur and siding, and transfer passengers on shuttle buses to Santa Fe. But if you do that, why have a train at all?
It's obvious that this project is just part of Richardson's plan to groom himself for national office. It makes no sense economically given the captial costs to get a new line to Santa Fe and operational costs will rapidly eclipse the cost of building additional lanes on I-25. 75 mph on I-25 beats 15 mph by train everytime.
This is the first time I have seen it pointed out that the rails do not go directly to Santa Fe. It is obvious but overlooked.
Thanks Dave.
Commenting by HaloScan
