Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Spring Break breakdown - 4.3

Railroad jewels & Rail Runners

On to Albuquerque...

We were fortunate to be in New Mexico during the Alvarado Hotel exhibit at the Albuqerque Museum of Art and History. The Alvarado Hotel was one of the famed Harvey House hotels of the Santa Fe Railway. Opened in 1902 and located in downtown Albuquerque, the hotel provided train passengers and other travelers with first-class lodging and meals through its closure in the 1960s. It was demolished in 1970.

The museum exhibit featured artifacts and memorabilia from the hotel and from the railroad during the Harvey House era.

The exhibit runs through June 7; I'd highly recommend it if you're in the area. Check the Albuquerque Museum's website for more information: http://www.cabq.gov/museum/featured.html

Next, it was back to trackside to accomplish our next goal: shooting the Albuquerque Rail Runner commuter trains on the new line to Santa Fe. When Miss C and I visited New Mexico last November, we were about a month too early to see the Rail Runners on the new extension. Rail Runner service to Santa Fe commenced in mid-December, on a route that included several miles of newly constructed railroad, built expressly for the commuter train service. The line featured some impressive engineering work, including a stretch down the median of Interstate 25.


C gets some practice with my Canon gear near Belen.


A southbound Rail Runner arrives in Los Lunas.


"Next time, take the train!" This southbound Rail Runner, about 20 minutes out of Santa Fe, paces vehicle traffic on Interstate 25. The new line runs down the I-25 median for several miles southwest of Santa Fe.


Catching the last rays of sunlight near Santo Domingo Pueblo. This is the former BNSF Glorieta Subdivision, now owned by the state of New Mexico.

Coming next: ghost hunting and sand surfing. Stay tuned...

WSC

np: Kevin Welch & Kieran Kane - "Them wheels don't roll"

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Monday, December 01, 2008

Fall colors and more

Tuesday, November 4 in the Albuquerque area...

Spectacular fall color near the Rio Grande in Los Lunas.

A close-up of the cottonwood leaves.

My morning got off to a rocky start when I discovered I had a flat tire. I've had that Toyota for 4 1/2 years and this is the first flat I've ever had to change! And on a set of new tires, yet! But in less than an hour, I was good to go.

Miss C. and I enjoyed lunch at Blake's Lotaburger in Los Lunas while Discount Tire patched up my flat...

Later, we explored Albuquerque's downtown area...

Kress 5-10-25 cent Store

Kress storefront, downtown Albuquerque.


Later, we set up near Isleta to photograph the late afternoon RailRunner to Belen (see previous entry). Then we headed to Belen for some dinner before we continued on to Ruidoso.


On tv when we arrived in Ruidoso... the election returns. (Yes, I voted -- a couple weeks early, since I knew I'd be out of town on Election Day.) Even though I wasn't an Obama supporter, it was hard to ignore -- and be less than a little awed by -- the historical significance of his election. I probably won't support ALL of the changes the Obama Administration will bring to America... but at least we didn't elect Hillary.

Up next... two days in Ruidoso. Stay tuned...

WSC

np: Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - "Charlotte"

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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

RailRunners & Santa Fe relics

Ever since passing through the Albuquerque area during the last week of October about 8 years ago, I had wanted to get back and re-experience the fall color along the Rio Grande in that area. What better trains to photograph than the Albuquerque RailRunners, whose colors complement the cottonwoods, and which run on predictable schedules?

A southbound passes a colorful cottonwood near Isleta on November 4.


Mingling with BNSF traffic during a station stop at Belen

Departing Los Lunas, heading north in "push" mode...

A Southbound kicks up leaves as it approaches Isleta

Southbound in the late afternoon near Isleta.

Between RailRunner shots, we found time to discover a few Santa Fe relics around Albuquerque, including...

I thought I had found a nice GP30, until I came around to the engineer's side and discovered it had been hit by taggers. I'd love to see one of these repainted in BNSF "Heritage" colors (or even a fresh coat of blue and yellow) but its days on the BNSF roster are probably numbered.

SD40-2 # 6958 was in better condition...

Derelict Albuquerque shops building

Santa Fe logo at Albuquerque shops.

Coming next - more from Albuquerque, including ghost signs, fine dining, more fall color, and a flat tire. Check back in a few days... and Happy Thanksgiving.

WSC

np: Robert Nighthawk - "You call yourself a Cadillac" (from Mississippi Delta Blues Vol. 1)

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

NM mini re-cap

It's Wednesday morning as I type this, and my 2-week vacation is about two-thirds complete. Here's a quick look at how it's gone so far...

Clockwise from top left: highway scene near Lake Valley, Whiskey enjoys a Blake's Lotaburger in Los Lunas, fall color along the Rio Grande, Miss C. gets to know the railroad west of Clovis.

Miss C. joined me for a trip to New Mexico from Sunday through Saturday. Highlights included fall color along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, a drive to the Monjeau Lookout near Ruidoso, a visit to the ghost town of Lake Valley, sunny skies, fine dining, great music, and lots and lots of trains. Check back in a week or so for a "real" update as I begin the full trip report. It'll take several posts to do justice to our trip in words and photos. Until then...

WSC

np: Banjo & Sullivan - "I'm at home gettin' hammered (while she's out gettin' nailed)

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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Albuquerque & Los Lunas

More from Friday, March 21 in Albuquerque...

Santa Fe Freight House, downtown Albuquerque

neon sign - wonder if it still lights up...

Santa Fe tile mosaic logo

the view from across the street

Amtrak 161 awaits an assignment in Albuquerue.
And more from Los Lunas...

Los Lunas station sign

Los Lunas depot
Coming next: "behind the scenes" in New Mexico...
WSC
np: Junior Brown - "Venom wearin' denim"

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