Santa Fe Southern Railway

Santa Fe Southern Railway

Santa Fe Depot, with a Rail Runner Express train (right), alongside a diesel locomotive and observation car operated by the SFSR
Reporting mark SFSR
Locale Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA
Dates of operation 1992–present
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in)
Santa Fe Southern
Legend
0.0 Santa Fe Depot
Rail Runner to Albuquerque
Interstate 25
Ave. Vista Grande
Ave. Eldorado
Spur Ranch Rd.
US Route 285
County Road 33
18.0 Junction, BNSF/NMDOT
18.1 Lamy (Amtrak station)
18.3 End of line/Private Track

Santa Fe Southern Railway (reporting mark SFS) is a short line railroad in New Mexico, United States. It carries both passengers and freight between Lamy and Santa Fe, a distance of 18.1 miles (29.1 km).[1] It is a tourist railroad that also carries freight: the passenger cars are vintage and most passengers are tourists.[1]

It began operations in 1992, after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ended operations on the line and a group of local businesspeople purchased the line, initially operating freight service, but subsequently adding passenger trains.[1] Currently, the railroad operates mixed trains, hauling freight, which consists largely of building supplies, and passengers, which run at least twice a week, depending on the season.[1][2] It also operates occasional charter and special trains.[1]

The railroad's business fluctuates greatly; in 2004, it hauled 401 carloads of freight, and in 2007 carried 25,907 passengers, but in 2009 these counts decreased to 25 and 12,208, both record lows.[1]

On 8 October 2010, the railroad was purchased by STI-Global, Ltd., an Australian-based company. STI-Global said that the purchase would allow it to test the safety systems the company produces.[3]

On 20 May 2011, the railroad was evicted from its headquarters at the depot in Santa Fe to make way for a new visitors center planned to serve New Mexico Rail Runner passengers.[4]

The railroad operates several coaches formerly owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey, as well as a dome car, a flatcar, and a caboose. Motive power consists of two EMD GP7s, one rebuilt to GP16 specifications.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Lustig, David (July 2010). "Santa Fe Southern". Trains Magazine (Kalmbach Publishing). 
  2. ^ "Lamy Freight Run". Santa Fe Southern Railway. http://www.sfsr.com/daytrain.html. Retrieved 15 October 2010. 
  3. ^ "Santa Fe Southern purchased by Australian high-tech company". Trains Magazine. 14 October 2010. http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2010/10/Santa%20Fe%20Southern%20purchased%20by%20Australian%20high-tech%20company.aspx. Retrieved 15 October 2010. 
  4. ^ "Santa Fe boots short line from depot". Trains Magazine. 20 May 2011. http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2011/05/Santa%20Fe%20boots%20short%20line%20from%20depot.aspx. Retrieved 28 May 2011. 

External links