Lawmakers Told Train Is a Deal (NM: Richardson's Railroad)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | January 15, 2006 | Jeff Jones

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE— The fast-tracked New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train is a sweet deal for the state and will be the "fastest thing in town" 20 years from now as more and more cars clog the freeways, train planners told lawmakers Saturday.

Several members of the House Transportation Committee, which heard the pitch for the $390 million train, agreed train service linking Belen, Albuquerque and Santa Fe will be vital. But some said planners need to do a better job of keeping legislators informed on train planning.

"Some legislators feel like they're being left behind," said the committee vice-chairwoman, Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup. "If we can't explain (the project), then who in the hell is going to explain it to anyone else?" she said later.

Although the state check to pay for the project has essentially already been written, state Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught vowed she'll be close at hand during the 30-day legislative session that starts Tuesday to answer train questions.

State transportation officials plan to pick up most of the Rail Runner's construction tab by using $318 million from a $1.6 billion transportation package approved by the Legislature in 2003. The remainder is expected to come from $75-plus million in expected federal assistance.

<< snip >>

Committee member Rep. Brian Moore, R-Clayton, said lawmakers haven't received enough information about operating costs involving the train— a concern other lawmakers have raised. "I would have like to have had more information along the way," Moore said.

According to Faught's memo, train planners expect to pick up the entire tab of the first three years of operating and maintenance costs by using $30 million in already obtained federal funds.

For operations costs beyond the first three years, taxpayers along the line could be asked for a tax increase, planners have said.

[CedarDave]

The statement about the possible necessity to raise taxes in a few years to pay for operations was tucked down at the end of the article.

Do a keyword search here for other articles and a video on Richardson's Railroad.

(Note: Most Journal articles that require a paid subscription show that information at the top of the article. This one does not have such a notice and may be free to non-subscribers.)

[Jet Jaguar]

Is this thing up and running? It has been several years since I lived in NM.

[Pontiac]

I have never heard of a commuter train yet that paid for itself

They all are taxpayer subsidized public works projects.

And the Public Service Workers’ Union use them to blackmail the Municipal government (New York’s recent mess).

[HereInTheHeartland]

" They all are taxpayer subsidized public works projects."

It's called socialism.

New Mexico needs a commuter train? It must be one of the least population dense states in the nation. I'm sure it's a nice state but commuter trains work where lots of people are living in one area.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

It's the Massachusetts Miracle on steel wheels... Which means that Bill better run for president fast before this one becomes a demonstrable boondoggle.

[razorback-bert]

I haven't been to Santa Fe in a number of years, is it getting Aspen-ized?

If so is the train fare going to be low enought so the waiters,burger flippers and maids going to be able to use it or is just going to be NM elites?

[CedarDave]

From the article:
The first phase of the project linking Belen, Albuquerque and Bernalillo, and that portion of the rail line is expected to start operating early this year. Planners hope to get the train to Santa Fe in late 2008.

IMO, the train will never reach Santa Fe, at least not as commuter rail for reasons I explained in an earlier post. As a rail fan who lived in Santa Fe for a number of years, there is no way to make a fast trip with the existing route. A new route will take ten years or longer to plan and construct assuming funding for environmental studies and somehow quieting all the NIMBY's can be accomplished. There is a very high set of cliffs to be scaled called La Bajada Hill that the current RR ROW skirts. It will be very expensive to engineer and construct a RR route up those cliffs. The current highway widens to three passing lanes to allow slow and slower vehicles to get up the hill. Nope, ain't going to be a fast train to SF happening anytime soon.

See this post: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1558155/posts?page=20#20

[Jet Jaguar]

I agree with your assessment regarding La Bajada.

Will this thing have more stops than just the train station downtown? Could I catch this train to Santa Fe near Montano Rd., or Paseo del Norte?

[kublia khan]

Some more steel wheels to subsidize with our highway fuel and gasoline taxes.

[CedarDave]

Aspen-ized and social-ized. Minimum wage for waiters, burger flippers and maids has been set at $9.50/hr by the city, going up to $10.50 in 2008. They can afford the ride but not the time to get there on Richardson's Railroad.

[okie01]

With all due respect to New Mexicans, this is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of.

This has a chance to be the world's longest and most expensive hobby railroad...

[CedarDave]

Station locations here:

http://nmgrip.com/projects.asp?project=14913&linkid=15129

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks Dave.

[telstar1]

390 Million?

...read...

3.90 Billion!



(just a foot in the door, you poor NM taxpayers)

[upchuck]

$390 million train

I am on record... before this is finished, the cost will be $.5B to $.75B. That's Billion, with a B.

[Terein]

"...There is a very high set of cliffs to be scaled called La Bajada Hill that the current RR ROW skirts. It will be very expensive to engineer and construct a RR route up those cliffs. The current highway widens to three passing lanes to allow slow and slower vehicles to get up the hill. Nope, ain't going to be a fast train to SF happening anytime soon..." snip

Almost certainly irrelevant thoughts of mine...

In the 1920's and 30's, many automobiles had to back up La Bajada because their reverse gear was lower than 1st gear.

The original trail is something like a mile or so west of the modern highway.

A north bound train would crawl up La Bajada for sure but even so, I am reasonbly confident that it will go faster than my 74 Beetle did during my college days. Just imagine though how fast the south bound leg will be!

I looked at the station list and my amateur opinion is that the existing Albuquerque stations that are proposed are way too few in number.

It's very surprising how many folks commute to jobs between Albuquerque and Santa Fe with the most common Santa Fe destination being the state government offices. I have no idea if there is any comparable clustering of commuting destinations at the Albuquerque end but kind of doubt it.
Living in Georgia now, I am needless to say, too isolated from the political aspects to have any kind of informed opinion.

[CedarDave]

I actually drove my old two-wheel drive Subaru down that road about 20 years ago. Had to stop every few yard to remove boulders from the road. Enjoyed some hikes to Tit Peak in spring or fall.

I looked at the station list and my amateur opinion is that the existing Albuquerque stations that are proposed are way too few in number.

That's the catch. Albuquerque is too spread out to have many stations. No concentration of population. And once you get to the station how do you get to your job? The RR tracks, except for downtown, are not near any business centers. And how long are you going to ride in a bus to get you to your office along I-40 and Lousiana, for example. No, this is a boondoggle whose equipment will be sold off after a few years (following Richardson's departure, to oblivion hopefully) to a major transportation district like LA or Dallas which can use the equipment more efficiently and cost effectively.

[indthkr]

"I have never heard of a commuter train yet that paid for itself"

I've never heard of any public transportation system that paid for itself; airlines included (gov. subsidized air traffic control system).