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G

gswager

Engineer
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2002
Messages
2,973
Location
southern Idaho
Here's the project plan to extend the commuter line to Santa Fe. A link within NM RailRunner's website requires the use of Acrobat Reader.

Sounds like they're pushing really hard to meet the opening of late 2008 to Santa Fe, such as digging a trench from the median of I-25 to Santa Fe Southern Railway and upgrading the aging SFSR's track.

-gs
 
Since this is mid 2007, a late 2008 opening should be regarded as an impossibility. If they started construction TODAY, it will 3 to 4 years before opening, at least.

George
 
These guys must have a large diameter pipe into the money and policial power source.

There current status can be found on their website at www.nmrailrunner.com/PDF/LFCCRSFALBS100207.pdf

They have:

1. Ordered 12 cars from Bombardier in Nov 2006 (option on original order)

2. Ordered 4 locos from Motive Power in Mar 2007 (option on original order)

3. Ordered 7,200 tons of rail from L. B. Foster in Feb 2007 (30 track-miles)

4. Ordered 79,000 concrete ties from Rocla in Feb 2007 (30 track-miles)

5. Awarded Design Build contract for part in I-25 median and to BNSF in Sep 2007 - for substantial completion Nov 2008

6. Will award construction for SFS portion in Dec 2007 - for substantial completion Nov 2008

Amazingly, even though the major construction cnotract has been awarded, intermediate station sites are not finalized, but this is supposed to be completed by the end of this year.

How are these people managing to get things done so fast and also get the money to do it? Maybe they really will make their proposed completion date.

George
 
Yes, Gov. Bill Richardson did that. I'm a NM resident. One thing that I'm not happy with is keeping track of progress on what's happening with the construction, similiar to Sounders. It just a start up and there will be a lot of improvements that need to be done such as RailRunner maintenance shops, improving the ABQ platform, etc. Since the federal subsidy will end on 2009, we have to find a way to make a budget for the RailRunner.
 
gswager said:
Yes, Gov. Bill Richardson did that. I'm a NM resident. One thing that I'm not happy with is keeping track of progress on what's happening with the construction, similiar to Sounders. It just a start up and there will be a lot of improvements that need to be done such as RailRunner maintenance shops, improving the ABQ platform, etc. Since the federal subsidy will end on 2009, we have to find a way to make a budget for the RailRunner.
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Also as a former New Mexican, I am very impressed with the speed at which this traditionally beuraucratically operated government is operating. Marty Chavez won't get this sort of speed on the street car project, as he shouldn't.

Back to the Rail Runner, the speed of implementation is mind boggling. If they could do this sort of thing in Georgia and South Carolina - heck, Virginia and MORE of Tennesee... Wow. Cross country commuter transit could be a reality in my lifetime.

I'm still concerned about the grades in the median of I-25 between ABQ and Santa Fe. It's quite a climb!

Now, if somehow the Government can get a new ROW built between Santa Fe and the Pecos National Historical Park to pick up the former BNSF, Amtrak patrons would rejoice loudly. Of course Lamy would just go from being a ghost town 23 hours a day to 24 hours a day...
 
VentureForth said:
Also as a former New Mexican, I am very impressed with the speed at which this traditionally beuraucratically operated government is operating. Marty Chavez won't get this sort of speed on the street car project, as he shouldn't.
Back to the Rail Runner, the speed of implementation is mind boggling. If they could do this sort of thing in Georgia and South Carolina - heck, Virginia and MORE of Tennesee... Wow. Cross country commuter transit could be a reality in my lifetime.

I'm still concerned about the grades in the median of I-25 between ABQ and Santa Fe. It's quite a climb!

Now, if somehow the Government can get a new ROW built between Santa Fe and the Pecos National Historical Park to pick up the former BNSF, Amtrak patrons would rejoice loudly. Of course Lamy would just go from being a ghost town 23 hours a day to 24 hours a day...
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They are digging a trench to make the grade more gently. I'll have to drive by next week to check out the progress.

That would be nice to have Amtrak stop at Santa Fe instead of Lamy, but it's way too expensive and the grade would be a killer! I'm guessing that the Santa Fe Railroad builders made a good reason to bypass Santa Fe due to difficult terrian.

From what I've heard about the streetcar project on Central (Historical Route 66) in ABQ is dead. I felt that the time is not ready due to RailRunner projects. Plus, the traffic is not severe enough and the express tandem busses are doing very well.

-gs
 
I took a trip to ABQ, so I decide to drive to Santa Fe to check out the progress. The Raton division line which was purchased by state of NM runs along Rio Grande (river) until north of Bernalillo and then turning east toward Lamy. About a mile east of I-25, it's a starting point for new rail line to Santa Fe, bypassing Santa Fe Southern Railway, due to distance.

I didn't go to check that area. Read on a newspaper few days ago that someone tried to steal copper wires near La Bajada junction. The damage was estimated at $300,000 to $350,000. Luckily, the theft were empty-handed. Police found a pick-up.

Anyways, the new track will be going underpass of northbound I-25 for a median. It runs about 15-20 miles. The engineer will have to play with the throttle uphill with some downslope. At south of Santa Fe where the Santa Fe Southern Railway (SFSR) goes under the I-25 overpass, the new track will joined from the median to the north side by going underpass, a really deep trench. From there it will be slow speed due to winding tracks until reaching the Santa Fe station. I do not know if it'll be the same place as historical station or not. The area is under construction for station and possibility a yard area for NM RailRunner. Space is at premium. It's interesting that the track will be crossing diagonally across the busy intersection. The historical Santa Fe plaza is like 10-15 blocks away even though I didn't drive there to determine the distance. So busses are needed.

They're still moving dirt and some area are driving pilings into the ground for bridges. SFSR seriously needs to be upgrade because they're stick rails with "rotten" wooden ties. It's hard to tell if it will be done at end of 2008 or not.

ABQ is about 5,000 feet and Santa Fe is 7,000 feet high, the highest state capitol in the US. The driving distance is almost 60 miles. The track would be few miles longer. So, it'll be interesting to see how the loco fares uphill with throttle and downhill with regenerative braking.

Questions:

1) How many miles a day they can lay ballast and rails on new line and the SFSR line, assuming if they are using use by track laying machine train?

2) How long it requires to have test-run the track by using empty commuter train?

3) More new trainsets are on the way, how many miles it requires to test run the trainset?
 
I'll be there next week tending to some personal business. If I get a chance, I'll try to take some photos. Did you notice if there was any strong evidence of work being done in the median yet?
 
VentureForth said:
I'll be there next week tending to some personal business. If I get a chance, I'll try to take some photos. Did you notice if there was any strong evidence of work being done in the median yet?
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Just dirt work and pilings for the bridges. Also, where the rail meet at the ends of the median section, the freeway are detoured so that they can dig the dirt underneath it. Yes, it's a very strong evidence of work, but no visible sign of "tracks" yet. Also, don't forget to check out the Santa Fe station where they're putting the forms up for cement pouring. Only Santa Fe station is visible while other proposed stations are not up yet.
 
gswager said:
Questions:1) How many miles a day they can lay ballast and rails on new line and the SFSR line, assuming if they are using use by track laying machine train?

2) How long it requires to have test-run the track by using empty commuter train?

3) More new trainsets are on the way, how many miles it requires to test run the trainset?
Click to expand...
It all depends . . . many issues can be involved. A lot depends on how much tweaking the system needs after things are in place.

Relatively speaking, this system is very simple and an extension of an operating railroad, so a lot of the issues that exist in opening a new transit line do not exist.

1. Laying track is seldom a time consuming part of the operation. Getting to the point that you can is what takes the time. The contractor may not consider it worthwhile to bring in a lot of high production equipment for 15 to 20 miles of track. Once all the material is on hand, probably a month start to finish.

2. Usually you start with a slow speed run, or a few days of slow speed running, then work up to speed. As little as a couple of weeks or as much as three months. Generally you want to be able to run the full service without glitches for a couple of weeks and then have a period of dealing with people functioning as guinea pigs.

3. Too many variables to even guess.
 
Laying physical tracks is a very quick process. I remember when they were Double Tracking in South Florida. I was at Delray Beach in the morning and they had the roadbed down from Clune to the cut/throw (about .5 mile) and were starting to bring ties in. By the time I went by the station again in the afternoon the ties and rail were down from Clune all the way through the station and approaching the cut/throw.
 
So, getting off topic like we so LOVE to do in this forum, :) , Why do you think George, that it's going to take them so long to double track what used to already be double tracked in NC?
 
VentureForth said:
So, getting off topic like we so LOVE to do in this forum, :) , Why do you think George, that it's going to take them so long to double track what used to already be double tracked in NC?
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Without looking at the place, I would be guessing, but there are several reasons:

Remember the second main has been gone for about 40 years, so a lot could have happened.

1. The original was probably on 13 foot centers. Generally the current standard is 14 feet or more. I would want to see at least 15 feet, so some roadbed widening would be needed even if everything else is still as was when the track was pulled up.

2. There may be some single track bridges that need replacing.

3. The remaining track may have been shifted in some areas so new roadbed is required for at least part of the distance. (I know this has happened in quite a few places on Southern and other railroads, but not sure if true for any of this.

4. There may be washouts, ditch widening, and other things that have taken away part of the old roadbed.

5. There may be, and probably are signal masts in the old roadbed that need moving, but the signal system must be kept functional at all times. This may include buried cable that need to be relocated.

6. You are working next to a very busy active track, so there will be a lot of pauses in the work as trains go by.

Probably several other issues I have not thought about.
 

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