Not so Fast There, Bill... (NM-Richardson's Railroad)

Reading Saunders' article [San Francisco Chronicle columnist, Debra Saunders' article, The Democrats' New Pork: Trains to Nowhere] inspired me to check on the latest developments of our own budget-busting, one-hundred-mile-long boondoggle here in New Mexico, the Rail Runner.

Destined to someday be known as Richardson's Folly, this tax-devouring deception was conceived by carpetbagger, Democrat Governor, Bill Richardson, when he still had presidential aspirations and knew that high speed rail was a favored icon of the PC Democrat base and a guaranteed resumé enhancer for a Democrat presidential contender.

Rubber-stamped by a compliant, Democrat-controlled New Mexico legislature, the project was designed to provide commuter rail travel between those two major metropolises of Santa Fe, population 74,000, and Albuquerque, population, 530,000, which just happen to be state's two Democrat strongholds. You don't need to be a nuclear scientist at Los Alamos to determine that linking two such disparate population centers means you have a very limited passenger pool on one side of your equation, so limited that it can't possibly provide the ridership necessary to generate the revenues to sustain operations. Yes, it was predicted by Democrat proponents that those Albuquerque residents who worked in state government offices in the capital, Santa Fe, would all give up their car keys and jump on the train for their daily commutes. Yeah right. Liberal Democrats may exhibit lemming-like behavior but most still prefer to drive themselves off the cliff.

Sold to New Mexicans taxpayers as a $130 million project, the actual costs are now at almost $500 million and still sucking up tax dollars. Ridership is minimal and only heavy subsidies from the taxpayers are keeping this turkey on track.

Bill Richardson's not the only thing no longer on a fast track. He wanted a legacy. He's got one.

I use this train when I visit my good friend and her daughter in Santa Fe. I fly in to the Albequerque airport, take a special bus to the train terminal, hop on the train, and get off a few blocks from her house in Santa Fe. It costs about $7 one way for the trip.

It’s a slow train. Analogies to the roadrunner are not apt.

Despite that, it’s a great deal for me. But undoubtedly a sucky one for the New Mexican taxpayer.

It costs about $7 one way for the trip.
You paid full fare. Round-trip (day-pass) is $8 and only $7 if the ticket is purchased on line. Further if you are a student or senior citizen it's $3, $6 round-trip and $5 if purchased on line.

It’s a slow train. Analogies to the roadrunner are not apt.
Indeed it is slow and getting slower. Each additional station stop added along the route knocks off several minutes travel time. There are three more coming soon - Zia Road in SF, Sandia Pueblo and Menual Blvd. (just north of downtown ABQ). Travel time from ABQ to SF is currently 1.5 hours vs. under an hour on 75 mph I-25. Look for that to increase to close to 2 hours with more stations.

Interesting web page:

http://stoptherailrunner.com/facts.htm

Rail Runner Facts

Capital costs originally projected to be $122 million ballooned to $475 million
Several New Mexico legislators have stated the actual capital costs of the Rail Runner are substantially higher than $475 million
In FY2009 fares covered $1.9 million out of $21 million in operating costs
In FY2009: Train rider pays $8, Taxpayer subsidy $81
A 1/8 cent gross receipts tax within the transit district was supposed to pay for operation costs, but the Rio Metro Regional Transit District projects the tax will only raise about $11.75 million.
National average: Fares for mass transit 33% of operational costs
In FY2009 Rail Runner fares covered 9% of operational costs
The Rail Runner has consumed 79% of the $600 million dedicated to highway projects—NM Legislative Finance Committee Report, January, 2009 (NMLFC)
Governor Richardson has shifted more than $1.3 million to the Rail Runner to cover unexpected funding shortfalls
New Mexico Watchdog identified $2 million in “discretionary funds” given to the Rail Runner by Governor Richardson
In FY2010 $4,550,000 in federal funding will be spent on the Rail Runner, money that could be used on other “congestion mitigation” projects
In FY2010 the NM Department of Transportation will spend $500,000 on the Rail Runner
$648,000 in federal “stimulus” money was spent on Sunday service for the Rail Runner in FY2010 (a one-time payment)
According to the NMLFC, almost 50% of all federal funding to NM highway projects is being spent on debt service
The Rail Runner is eating up funding that could be spent on needed improvements such as the Paseo del Norte Interchange and the Northwest Loop between Interstates 25 and 40
Taxpayers subsidize all mass transit systems. However, such systems are only viable if they are essential to the function of the city or region. Because of the Central Rio Grande’s low population density, The Rail Runner is not essential today, nor will it be in a century or longer, if ever.
The United States is in a perilous position with liquid fuels because we import 65% of our oil and transportation is 99% dependent on oil. A sudden disruption of our oil supply would bring catastrophic consequences. The Rail Runner is dangerous deception because it leads people to believe politicians are actually addressing our oil dependence problem. They are not.

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