Lamy, New Mexico

[greatcats]

I have been through Lamy on the train several times and will be on the Southwest Chief eastbound from Flagstaff on April 7 and will pass through Lamy. At the moment I am driving around New Mexico, having just spent three nights in Santa Fe and am now in Taos, headed to Chaco Canyon. I decided to go down and have a close look at Lamy station. I had thought it was maybe five miles from downtown; it is more like twenty. It was a fascinating stop in this small village where the paved road ends at the train station. It is sort of an eclectic residential area and there are two open businesses, the Amtrak ticket office, and the adjacent restaurant in the Atlantic Coast Line dining car. I had had lunch up the road, but got to talking with the owner and chef, Michael Ginvert, who is very into trains. He was interesting to talk to and how he feels about living in New Mexico, which I feel is very different from Arizona, so Ihad dessert in the dining car, which was used by Amtrak in the 70's. The station building is 120 years old and is in need of some repair on the exterior. The inside is attractive and cozy and in good repair, with remodeled restrooms. The tourist train that runs on the forlorn looking branch line was not operating, due to a recent derailment.

The historic station with the brick platforms and picnic area where a Mary Colter designed Fred Harvey hotel operated from 1910 to 1943, the trees and the surrounding terrain make for a movie scene out of the old west, which indeed it has been used for. Both Amtrak trains passed through while I was there - the eastbound was a little late and pulled in first, while the westbound waited on a siding east of the station and then pulled in on the second platform, which required a double stop. Business for both trains seemed to be fairly busy, with quite a number of passengers getting off the westbound sleepers.

 

[printman2000]

I have been through Lamy on the train several times and will be on the Southwest Chief eastbound from Flagstaff on April 7 and will pass through Lamy. At the moment I am driving around New Mexico, having just spent three nights in Santa Fe and am now in Taos, headed to Chaco Canyon. I decided to go down and have a close look at Lamy station. I had thought it was maybe five miles from downtown; it is more like twenty. It was a fascinating stop in this small village where the paved road ends at the train station. It is sort of an eclectic residential area and there are two open businesses, the Amtrak ticket office, and the adjacent restaurant in the Atlantic Coast Line dining car. I had had lunch up the road, but got to talking with the owner and chef, Michael Ginvert, who is very into trains. He was interesting to talk to and how he feels about living in New Mexico, which I feel is very different from Arizona, so Ihad dessert in the dining car, which was used by Amtrak in the 70's. The station building is 120 years old and is in need of some repair on the exterior. The inside is attractive and cozy and in good repair, with remodeled restrooms. The tourist train that runs on the forlorn looking branch line was not operating, due to a recent derailment.The historic station with the brick platforms and picnic area where a Mary Colter designed Fred Harvey hotel operated from 1910 to 1943, the trees and the surrounding terrain make for a movie scene out of the old west, which indeed it has been used for. Both Amtrak trains passed through while I was there - the eastbound was a little late and pulled in first, while the westbound waited on a siding east of the station and then pulled in on the second platform, which required a double stop. Business for both trains seemed to be fairly busy, with quite a number of passengers getting off the westbound sleepers.

I live in Amarillo, Tx and Lamy is my station stop. Las Vegas is a little closer but it is unmanned and has no baggage service. Albuquerque is almost the same distance, but I prefer Lamy. Plenty of free parking and I feel good leaving my vehicle there. I have also enjoyed the station. They even have free wifi! Since it is a four hour trip from Amarillo, we usually get there pretty early for our train and end up just hanging out for 2-3 hours. Great place to wait for a train.

We usually do lunch at a Subway that is a few miles towards Santa Fe. I would like to try the resturant there but the menus is not really good for my kids and more costly than Subway.

We will be back there the end of June.

 

[greatcats]

May I recommend the Blue Moon Cafe, on U.S.285 a mile or so south of the junction with Interstate 25, just off the east side of the highway. I had lunch there today. I had a very sketchky cell phone signal in Lamy - could not make a call, but would receive Emails. Did they have Wifi in the Old West?

 

[gswager]

I've used Lamy station several times and it's a very nice station in a quaint town. There is a museum across the street from the station. It's an old bar and the interior is a worthwhile for you to explore. Occasionally in the summertime, there are several artists painting the landscape. It used to be a Harvey House, but it was burn down. It's where the trees are.

For scenery-wise heading west, I'll take Las Vegas station. It goes through the mountains with "S" loop that you can see from one end to other end of train at the same time.

 

[greatcats]

I've used Lamy station several times and it's a very nice station in a quaint town. There is a museum across the street from the station. It's an old bar and the interior is a worthwhile for you to explore. Occasionally in the summertime, there are several artists painting the landscape. It used to be a Harvey House, but it was burn down. It's where the trees are.
For scenery-wise heading west, I'll take Las Vegas station. It goes through the mountains with "S" loop that you can see from one end to other end of train at the same time.

The former restaurant, now museum, was not open, but the dining car was doing a brisk lunch business mostly of local senio citizens. Having ridden this line several times, i too am looking forward to the scenery between Lamy and Las Vegas. i am in Taos this morning - no trains in sight around here!

 

[yarrow]

have a great time at chaco. we were there a week ago. took the swc to abq and rented a car. take the pueblo alto loop at chaco if you haven't before and also consider the drive down to the outlying great house, pueblo pintado

 

[Ispolkom]

have a great time at chaco. we were there a week ago. took the swc to abq and rented a car. take the pueblo alto loop at chaco if you haven't before and also consider the drive down to the outlying great house, pueblo pintado

How was the road to Chaco Canyon? I've read horror stories on the Web about it, but I wonder if they aren't from city boys and girls who don't know the difference between a gravel road and a dirt one.

 

[greatcats]

have a great time at chaco. we were there a week ago. took the swc to abq and rented a car. take the pueblo alto loop at chaco if you haven't before and also consider the drive down to the outlying great house, pueblo pintado

How was the road to Chaco Canyon? I've read horror stories on the Web about it, but I wonder if they aren't from city boys and girls who don't know the difference between a gravel road and a dirt one.

I will be going there and will stay in Bloomfield and take the 21 miles road in from the east, the main route. The routes from the south are not recommended, although I came in that way when I was last there in 1987 with a Plymouth minivan. I think today's Toyota 4Runner will do OK>

 

[acelafan]

I have been through Lamy on the train several times and will be on the Southwest Chief eastbound from Flagstaff on April 7 and will pass through Lamy. At the moment I am driving around New Mexico, having just spent three nights in Santa Fe and am now in Taos, headed to Chaco Canyon. I decided to go down and have a close look at Lamy station. I had thought it was maybe five miles from downtown; it is more like twenty. It was a fascinating stop in this small village where the paved road ends at the train station. It is sort of an eclectic residential area and there are two open businesses, the Amtrak ticket office, and the adjacent restaurant in the Atlantic Coast Line dining car. I had had lunch up the road, but got to talking with the owner and chef, Michael Ginvert, who is very into trains. He was interesting to talk to and how he feels about living in New Mexico, which I feel is very different from Arizona, so Ihad dessert in the dining car, which was used by Amtrak in the 70's. The station building is 120 years old and is in need of some repair on the exterior. The inside is attractive and cozy and in good repair, with remodeled restrooms. The tourist train that runs on the forlorn looking branch line was not operating, due to a recent derailment.The historic station with the brick platforms and picnic area where a Mary Colter designed Fred Harvey hotel operated from 1910 to 1943, the trees and the surrounding terrain make for a movie scene out of the old west, which indeed it has been used for. Both Amtrak trains passed through while I was there - the eastbound was a little late and pulled in first, while the westbound waited on a siding east of the station and then pulled in on the second platform, which required a double stop. Business for both trains seemed to be fairly busy, with quite a number of passengers getting off the westbound sleepers.

Lamy looks like a great little station - I passed through onboard the SW Chief in January. Would like to go back to the area and do some exploring.

 

[birdy]

The State of New Mexico has rights to use the line from Raton on down. Lamy is near a kind of suburb to Santa Fe, called El Dorado. Its a shame the state did not have plans in the can for an extension of its Railrunner line through there and Las Vegas when the recession hit. It would have been an excellent "shovel ready" project.

 

[printman2000]

May I recommend the Blue Moon Cafe, on U.S.285 a mile or so south of the junction with Interstate 25, just off the east side of the highway. I had lunch there today. I had a very sketchky cell phone signal in Lamy - could not make a call, but would receive Emails. Did they have Wifi in the Old West?

I am usually able to get a cell signal if I walk out on the platform, right next to the tracks and just south of the station.

 

[yarrow]

have a great time at chaco. we were there a week ago. took the swc to abq and rented a car. take the pueblo alto loop at chaco if you haven't before and also consider the drive down to the outlying great house, pueblo pintado

How was the road to Chaco Canyon? I've read horror stories on the Web about it, but I wonder if they aren't from city boys and girls who don't know the difference between a gravel road and a dirt one.

we have taken the road from the north twice (october after a snow and marck after another snow) in a psassenger car without problem. there is one wash to cross and i could see getting stopped on one side or the other and waiting a few hours for the water to go down if it had much water in it but we didn't have to.