The real reason for the new track down the interstate is the original Santa Fe, didn't serve "Santa Fe!" Well, at least not (EVER) on the mainline. The tracks curve Northeast of Albuquerque, to Lamy. Lamy is nothing but a Amtrak station, and some abandoned buildings. At this point the Santa Fe built a branchline with lots of curves straight up the mountain to the ancient pueblo City. Today, this branch is operated as the Santa Fe Southern Railroad. It still interchanges freight with the BNSF at Lamy. It also operates a tourist passenger train. About 1/2 way up the mountain, it ducks under the interstate. This is a point where it's climb is mostly complete and it straightens out for the final few miles into town. This is where the new railroad going down the interstate from Albuquerque will intersect the Santa Fe Southern track.
Future Rail Runners will leave from downtown Albuquerque on the former Santa Fe Mainline, a couple of miles up the route they will switch over to the new interstate highway route. Following the interstate highway, they will pick up the Santa Fe Southern. Then roll over the SFS into the old depot in downtown Santa Fe.
BNSF has announced a plan to stop using Raton Pass. Too high, too many curves and too much fuel to pull freight over it. They have a second mainline between Kansas and Belen, which runs across the plains of Western Oklahoma, Texas Panhandle, and East/Central New Mexico. The State bought the old Raton Pass route, because they have designs on Albuquerque - Las Vegas NM - Pueblo CO - Denver passenger train service. Expect them to use the California model, and Colorado and New Mexico will soar ahead of Florida.
There are also plans to use the line South of Belen, the old Santa Fe mainline to El Paso. I doubt they will see a penny of money from Texas, but New Mexico has been pulling off miracles. Maybe that is why it is called "The Land of Enchantment..." Hummmmm? Wonder if anyone there wants to swap for some acres in California?
Ocklawaha
