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Railroads in New Mexico 1878-2014 April 17, 2014 Albuquerque, NM 1 Their Continuing Impact and Legacy

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Railroads in New Mexico

1878-2014April 17, 2014Albuquerque, NM

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Their Continuing Impact and Legacy

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Today:New Mexico’s 12 Railroads in 2014

National Systems:-BNSF-Union Pacific

Short Line Companies:-Southwestern RR-Texas-New Mexico RR-Arizona Eastern Ry.-Santa Fe Southern Ry.

Private Railroads:-Escalante Western Ry.-Navajo Mine Railroad

Passenger Railroads:-New Mexico Rail Runner-Cumbers & Toltec Scenic Railroad-Amtrak’s Southwest Chief-Amtrak’s Sunset Limited

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135 Years of Railroading in New Mexico:

• RRs were the Space Program of the 1880’s• More than 120 Railroad companies• Over 3,000 miles of track• More than 1,500 miles of abandoned line exists

today• Dozens of Railroad towns and railroad Town

Companies • Lines located in every county• Second Transcontinental Railroad -- Deming: 1882• Eighty-two historic depots remain• New rail issues continue to develop

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Prior to 1878…Before the railroad’s

arrival:

NM was a trade destination via the Santa Fe Trail & the Camino Real

Goods moving to the West Coast took three months… or

Were routed completely around South America, or over Isthmus of Panama

Cargo was restricted by size/weight

Prior to 1878, people traveled no faster than had the Egyptians or the Romans

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1753: First steam engine arrives in the colonies from England. 1826: First rail laid down at Quincy, Mass., 3 miles in length and pulled by horses. 1827: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is chartered to operate1855: First land grant railroad in the U. S. is completed. 1862: Lincoln signs the Pacific Railway Act, authorizes construction of first transcon. RR 1869: Central Pacific & Union Pacific meet at Promontory Summit, Utah 1872: George Westinghouse patents the first automatic air brake. Still used today 1878: Railroad enters New Mexico Territory1882 Second Transcontinental Railroad link established at Deming, NM

The Railroad came relatively late to the

Southwestand to New Mexico

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187050,000 miles of Rail network

1880

1900

Thirty Years of U.S. Rail Growth

93,000 miles of railroad

180,000 miles of railroad

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• Alamogordo and Sacramento Mtn. RR • Alamogordo Lumber Company• Albuquerque and Cerrillos Coal Co.• Albuquerque Eastern Railway• Albuquerque Traction Company• American Potash Company• Arizona and Colorado RR of N. M.• Arizona and New Mexico Railroad• Arizona and Southeastern Railroad• Burro Mountain Railroad Company• Cerrillos Coal Railroad Company• Choctaw Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad• Choctaw Oklahoma and Tex Railroad• Cimarron and Northwestern Ry. • Cimarron and Taos Valley Railroad• Clifton and Lordsburg Railway• Clifton and Southern Pacific Railway• Colorado and New Mexico Railroad• Colorado and Southern Railway• Colorado Columbus and Mexican RR• Colorado Midland Railroad• Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad• Dawson El Paso and Southwestern RR

• Denver Texas and Fort Worth Railroad• Domingo and Rio Grande Railroad• Eastern Railway Company of New Mexico• El Paso and White Oakes Railway• Hanover Railroad Company• Las Vegas & Hot Springs Railway• Las Vegas Electric Railway Light and

Power Co.• Las Vegas Railway & Power Company• Lordsburg and Hachita Railroad• Mexican Central Railway• Navajo Mine Railroad• New Mexican Railroad Company• New Mexico and Arizona Railroad• New Mexico Central Railroad• New Mexico Central Railway• New Mexico Midland Railway Company• New Mexico Ry and Coal Co• Pecos Valley and Northeastern Ry• Pecos Valley Ry• Phelps Dodge Industrial RR• Pittsburg and Midway RR

• Pueblo and Arkansas Valley RR• Rio Grande and El Paso Railroad• Rio Grande & Pagosa Springs RR• Rio Grande and Santa Fe RR• Rio Grande, El Paso, and Santa Fe Railway• Rio Grande Mexico and Pacific Railroad• Rio Grande Pagosa and Northern RR• Rio Grande and Pagosa Springs Railroad• Rio Grande Sierra Madre and Pacific RR• Rio Grande and Southwestern Railroad• Rio Grande Valley Traction Company

• Rocky Mtn and SF Ry Co• Santa Fe Alb and Pac RR Co• Santa Fe Central RR• Santa Fe Cental Ry• Santa Fe Liberal and Englewood RR• Santa Fe Northern RR• Santa Fe Northwestern Ry• Santa Fe Pacific RR• Santa Fe Raton and Des Moines RR• Santa Fe Raton and Eastern RR• Santa Fe San Juan and Northern RR• Santa Fe Southern Railway• Santa Fe Southern Pacific• Burlington Northern RR• Burlington Northern Santa FE RR• Silver City and Northern RR Co• Silver city Deming and Pacific RR Co• Silver City Pinos Alton &Mogollon RR• Southern Plains and Santa Fe Ry• Southern Pacific Trans Co• Southwestern Railroad of NM• St. Louis Rocky Mountain & Pacific Ry• St Louis and San Francisco Ry• Star Lake RR Co• Texas and Pac RR• Texas NM Ry• Texas Santa Fe and northern RR• Union Pacific RR• Union Pacific Denver and Gulf Ry• Very Large Array Railroad• White Oakes Route Railroad• Zuni Mountain RR

Territorial/State Authorized New Mexican Railroads

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First - Came the Transcontinentals

•Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe•Southern Pacific•Denver & Rio Grande (Western)•Chicago, Rock Island, & Pacific•Missouri Pacific•El Paso & Northeastern•El Paso & Southwestern

National investorsMoney from outside NMSystem standard constructionPrescribed constructionInterstate railroads

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Then - Came the Regionals,Locals & Short line

Railroads

Short Line Characteristics:

•Generally “mixed” trains•Carried local produce from interior regions•Exchanged with the nationals•Structures were made with available material•Often moved from location to location•Mining railroads•Logging railroads•Cattle railroads•Agricultural railroads

Included:•Burro Mountain Railroad Company•Cerrillos Coal Railroad Company•Lordsburg and Hachita Railroad•New Mexican Railroad Company•New Mexico and Arizona Railroad•New Mexico Central Railroad•Pecos Valley Railroad•Santa Fe Central Railroad•Zuni Mountain Railroad•Silver City & Northern Railroad

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Railroads Towns

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Railroad Town Companies

ATSF: ----------------------------------------------------- The New Mexico Town CompanyEl Paso & Northeastern Railroad: ------- New Mexico Land Development CompanyChicago, Rock Island & Pacific:------------ Santa Rosa Townsite CompanySouthern Pacific-------------------------------------Tucumcari Townsite & Investment Company

1. Usually located at railroad division points2. Multiple railroad facilities (ice houses, crew quarters, supt. buildings)3. Anticipated development of secondary economic bases (farming, mining, etc.)

Albuquerque, East Las Vegas, Raton, Socorro, Las Cruces—Lots cost $200- $2,500Wagon Mound, Los Lunas, Rincon---Lots cost $75- $150

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(Corporate subdivisions of the railroads)

Railroad: Town Company:

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Branch Line Development

•Generally short distance•Economically built•Locally funded•Often single commodity - Agricultural - Potash - Coal - Logging - Passenger service

D&RG’s “Chili Line”Cerrillos Coal RR CompanyRaton spursZuni Mountain RRAlamogordo RailwayCoalora lineCloudcroftMontezuma BranchLamy Branch

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Some Distinctions Between Short Lines & Transcontinentals

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ATSF System-Wide Branch Line Depot Standard

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ATSFFrame depot standard plan

Larges systems had designers,architects, carpenters, & material

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Class I’s:-Standard plans and designs.-Materials imported-Exceptionally well-made

Vaughn (ATSF) Mountainair

Columbus Tucumcari (SP)

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Short line depots•Available material•Usually wooden•Quick construction•Often moved, reused

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Eldorado Moriarity (NMCRR)

Elida (PVRR)Hachita

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Conflicting Attitudes Toward Rail

National Progressive Movement & Mistrust of Corporate

Industry

Territorial New Mexico ’s Desire for Rail Service & Statehood

Major changes in New Mexico’s regulatory railroad laws

1890-1920’s 1880’s-1912

Changes in Land Use, Transport Law, Corporate

Rules, Taxation, & Commerce

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•Period of American social and governmental reform; 1890’s-1920’s•Reaction to corporate (including railroads) and political corruption•Suppport of Prohibition•Muckrakers-exposed waste/corruption•Sinclair Lewis novels•Labor unions•Womens’ sufferage•Political “rings”•Trust busting•Child welfare•Railroad strikes•Railroad regulation

TheNational Progressive Period

& Local

Impacts

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The National Mood

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Widespread Corporate Mistrust

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Simultaneously, in New Mexico:

Santa Fe Ring political group flourished John Tunstall murdered-Lincoln County WarMaxwell & Colfax County WarGovernment contracts flourishedLincoln County regulatorsSupplying army fort contractsLas Gorras Blancas organizedLand companies prosperedDesire for statehood

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From the Incorporation Documents of the

Texas, Santa Fe & Northern R.R.(Certificate of Incorporation 1882)

TelegraphsThe Railroad has the right to build telegraphs on all its lines

Exemption from TaxationThe Railroad is exempt from taxation for six years after the completion of its line

Right of Way Free Through Public LandsThe Railroad has right of way through public lands of the United States and throughlands belonging to the Territory of New Mexico

Right of Way Through Private LandsThe Railroad can take land for right of way upon paying amount to bedetermined by Commissioners, who are appointed by the judge of the District Court. Proceedings are very simple and just. Delay in obtaining possession of land required,need not exceed ten days.

Statutory Right & Privileges of Territorial Railroads

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1878 N.M. Territorial Statutes

“To take, possess and enjoy, by purchase, donation, or condemnation, such materials, springs, and streams of water as maybe necessary for its uses and purposes in operating its railroads…”

“To purchase and by voluntary grants and donations to receive and take by its officers, engineers, surveyors , and agents to enter upon, possess, hold and use all such lands and other property as its directors may deem necessary, proper and convenient for the construction, maintenance, & operation of its railroad and telegraph lines…”

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RRs become required to:•Construct lines to towns/countySeats•To connect with nearby linesElimination of passes to VIPs•Cease issuance of passesTo elected officials

At the Turn of the Century,Railroad Statutes Become

Gradually Restrictive

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Railroads & the NM Constitution

Article IX, Section 14 [Anti-donation clause]

“Neither the state, nor any county, school district or municipality, except as otherwise provided in this constitution , shall directly or indirectly lend or pledge its credit or make any donation to or in aid of any person, association or public or private corporation or in aid of any private enterprise for the construction of any railroad…”

Article IV, Sec. 37. [Railroad passes.]

It shall not be lawful for a member of the legislature to use a pass, or to purchase or receive transportation over any railroad upon terms not open to the general public; and the violation of this section shall work a forfeiture of the office.

Railroad are singled out

No RR passes for elected officials

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1912: Statehood

Railroad Laws Amended

Generally:•More restrictive regulations•Constitutional curtailments•More authority to NM CC•Rules for organization of RRs

Specifically:•RRs required to fence right-of-way•Safety appliances required•Financial oversight from Territory•Contributory negligence established•Required to serve county seats

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ConflictRailroad, Strikes, and Military Campaigns

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Rough Riders Departing Las Vegas

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WartimePosters

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Railroads After W.W. II

1950’s- Trucks begin competing with railroadsEnd of steam era

1960’s- Airlines compete with rail for passengersMergers: NYC & Penn CentralMaintenance deferred

1970’s:- Famous lines begin to disappear-Amtrak created1980’s- Penn Central becomes Conrail-Cabooses disappear1990’s- Labor issues- crews reduced to 2 vs 4 and 5

Automation – remote switching

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Railroad Tourism

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Albuquerque-AlvaradoBelen-Harvey HouseCarlsbad-Harvey HouseClovis-Harvey HouseLas Vegas- CastenadaLamy-El Ortiz

Deming Harvey HouseGallup - El NavajoLas Vegas Cantenada

RatonSan MarcialVaughn

Courting Tourism

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1970’s:Abandoned of Lines

Reduced freightCost of MaintenanceChanging marketsRequires state/federal approval2,500 miles of line abandonedShipper/community impactsZuni Mtn. RRCumbres/ToltecDawson LineSilver City branchesEl Paso & SouthwesternTucumcari/AmarilloCoaloraAlamogordo-CloudcroftLordsburg-Clifton BranchKelley-Magdelena LineRock Island-TucumcariKoehler LineBurro Mountain Junction

Future Abandonments????33

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New Mexico Central (1908-1922) Alignment

Santa Fe South, toward Stanley

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Cerrillos Coal Railroad Company Wye at Waldo

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Twenty-First Century:A Renewal of Rail Interest

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SANTA FE, N.M. — “The state Senate on Monday night voted to eliminate locomotive fuel taxes for Union Pacific, provided that it moves a rail center from El Paso to Santa Teresa. The bill passed in the committee in less than five minutes and carried 37-4, though many Democrats said they were skeptical about whether the deal was good for New Mexico taxpayers.”

Elimination of fuel taxes for certain railroads…

4/5/2011-- El Paso Times37

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Union Pacific Railroad Begins Construction of $400 Million Rail Facility in New Mexico

El Paso Times: 8/8/2011Amtrak Route in Jeopardy

“East Las Vegas came to life with the railroad in 1879, but our city’s long association with trains could come to a screeching halt in the near future unless a deal can be reached to upgrade the tracks.”

Las Vegas Daily Optic: September 9,2013

“Plan to Off-load Crude Oil in Lamy Fuels Backlash” The New Mexican; 12/14/2013

Rail Runner birthday bash mostly about troubles-The state’s first commuter rail project was approved a decade ago this month, but the initial years of fanfare and novelty have given way to declining ridership numbers and increasing costs. State DOT no longer subsidizes train operations. Abq. Journal 11/24/2013

Cyclical Nature of Railroad News in New Mexico

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New Mexico’s Railroading Future--