New Mexico, Colorado & Arizona railfan trip

Hi, Friend Dale Diacont and I spent nine days railfanning mostly in New Mexico during the first week in June. We arrived in Albuquerque late in the afternoon of June 1 and immediately drove to Santa Fe where we had dinner with Dale's stepson and spent the night.

On the morning of June 2nd we set out to photograph the Rail Runner Express commuter operation south of Santa Fe. All of the following photos, with the exception of two, were taken in this general area.

Our first stop was just east of the railroad off Santa Fe County Route 57 (above and two below).

After the morning rush we did some exploring to find locations for the afternoon. Then we headed into Santa Fe to provision for the rest of the trip and get lunch.

After lunch we stopped at the former Santa Fe depot (above and below). This is the northern terminus for Rail Runner Express and also a visitor center.

Our first location for the afternoon was the frontage road off I-25 near Rosario, New Mexico. Because Amtrak #4, the Southwest Chief, ran earlier than Amtrak reported we were not in position for the photograph we wanted. The best we could do was this going away shot.

Shortly after Amtrak cleared the early afternoon commuter train ran (above and below).

When there are no trains there usually is interesting scenery out west. In this case the contract between the well lit mountain in the background and shadowed foreground caught my eye.

We could see that there was sun near our morning location and it did not look like there would be sun near Rosario so we moved back to Santa Fe County Route 57 (above and three below).

Thanks for looking.

New Mexico Trains - 2010

Hi, My wife Ruthe and I returned on Saturday from a 2 week vacation in New Mexico. During that time I was able to get in a little rail photography. My first opportunity came on the afternoon of October 2. I went down to the depot in Albuquerque and found the eastbound Southwest Chief getting ready to depart.

Shortly after the Chief left a northbound Rail Runner arrived and departed. Rail Runner operates a limited weekend schedule.


After a southbound arrived and departed I headed back to the hotel.


On October 5th we were traveling from Taos to Socorro when I decided to see if I could find the Rail Runner station in Belen. On the way into town we spotted this eastbound train waiting to enter the yard.

The final opportunity occurred when we followed the Transcon from Vaughn to Belen. We saw a number of trains, including this eastbound just east of Vaughn,

these DPUs on a westbound sitting at the same location,

another eastbound passing the station just out of site around the curve, and

another eastbound on the fill dropping down from the overpass over the UP (former SP).

Our next opportunity was a westbound approaching Encino.

I shot a second westbound rounding the horseshoe curve just west of Willard


and then passing the station of Mountainaire.


This photo shows the construction for the second track to the left of the current main track at the east end of Abo Canyon.

After a short wait here an eastbound climbed the grade and

met a westbound (in the distance) waiting at the current end of double track at Scholle.


I hope you enjoyed the photos.