By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich along with senators from Colorado and Kansas as well Congressman Ben Ray Lujan secured an additional $50 million for rail repairs in the recently senate passed transportation bill for use along the Amtrak SW Chief route through Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson had informed them that Amtrak was planning to shut the section of line down from Dodge City, Kansas to Albuquerque, New Mexico unless Positive Train Control mechanisms were put in place on the New Mexico portion of the line by December 31, 2018.
Heinrich was in Raton to celebrate the senate passage and to show support with Ratonians and others at a SW Chief Rally held at the Raton train depot Saturday morning, August 18th. He noted that Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson didn’t get a real warm reception in his office when Anderson told Heinrich and others that the urban areas need rail service but that folks out in the midwest can just ride the bus. Heinrich told the crowd that they are going to do what ever it takes to not only keep the SW Chief running but to make it even better.
Mayor Neal Segotta told the crowd that the first train over the pass came in 1878 with lots of switch backs and severely steep grades. Even though the first tunnel was completed the next year it remains the steepest rail route in the country even today. He noted the SW Chief began in the 1920s from Chicago to Los Angeles bringing many passengers along for the ride. Segotta ended his remarks by quoting Amtrak saying “Take in the grandeur of the American west on an adventure of the SW Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles. The SW Chief runs daily from Chicago to Los Angeles through the vast expanse of the fabled American west. You will be mesmerized by this regions beauty and allure. We will take you across the mighty Mississippi and across eight states past wheat fields and ranches, missions and pueblos, mountains and deserts, carving through curving canyon passages only a few feet wider than the train itself. You will see spectacular landscapes and pristine vistas not visible from interstate highways.” He suggested Amtrak should read their own work as this quote was on one of their web pages.
Shelley O’Neal from Philmont Scout Ranch, noted that over 9000 scouts, mostly from the east, ride the rails to Raton and it is an integral part of the adventure at Philmont. As the cities give way to the fields and the fields give way to the mountains the anticipation grows she noted. Philmont has estimated that it would lose some 30% of the crews that work and travel to Raton on the SW Chief should Amtrak decide to bus people from Dodge City.
Laura Brewer spoke of the importance of Amtrak to her business located on Historic First Street in downtown Raton. She noted that she chose the location based in part on the Amtrak train through Raton. She noted the importance of the boy scouts coming into town and walking around the historic district.
Colfax County Commissioner Roy Fernandez spoke about the Tiger Grants that helped upgrade parts of the rail in Kansas and Colorado after Amtrak noted that the rails needed a $100 million worth of work or they would pull or reroute the SW Chief. Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico worked together to obtain Tiger Grants worth about $70 million and do the work in phases. However Amtrak has since disagreed about doing the work in phases. He indicated that the BNSF property tax liability in 2013 for the rails that BNSF owns from Santa Fe to Raton was $1.1 million, the Colfax County portion was over $260,000. He added that train passenger spending supported $29.2 million dollars in economic output, $8.9 million in job earnings and 368 jobs. In 2017 over 16,000 passengers boarded or disembarked in Raton.
Raton City Manager Scott Berry thanked the Colfax County Commission especially Bill Sauble for his efforts in securing Tiger Grant 9. Berry went on to note the efforts of Senator Heinrich on not only this problem but others that affect the area before he introduced Heinrich to the crowd.
