Railfanning New Mexico - Las Vegas Photos Added

I've done mine out of Santa Fe following the old D&RGW "Chili Line" narrow gauge past the bottle covered station into Colorado and through Pagosa Junction (Gato) to Pagosa Springs.  The famous store at Pagosa Junction had been moved into Pagosa Springs for restoration the last time I checked the Junction, several years ago.  There were

a couple of old stations, bridges, etc. that could be followed north from Santa Fe, but...north is not where I think you are going.  And, that, of course, is not current

railroading, but historical.

Thanks for the responses guys.

All the times I've been to New Mexico I never followed the Chili Line. May have to check it out... I do plan to make it to Chama and ride the C&T for the first time.

Jerry, thanks for the tips about the semaphores. I'd read on another forum how they were being removed.

I did find the Amtrak schedule for the Southwest Chief and it shows daily stops in Las Vegas; southbound at 12:38 PM, northbound at 3:03 PM. So with any luck I'll get to see it somewhere along that stretch.

Will post pics if I get any worth while (that'll be in late September).

Bert

Sounds like you are planning a good trip, Bert.

If you ride the C&TS, the parlor car is the way to go if you are willing to spend the extra money. You are at the rear of the train so you can go out on the rear platform anytime you want, the seats are more comfortable, and seating is limited to 12. The last time I rode it (2007) the only parlor car ticket available was to run the whole line from Chama to Antonito (most people had tickets that returned them to their point of origin, changing trains at Osier - the lunch stop) with a bus ride back to Chama. I believe that the extra fare includes soft drinks, coffee, and snacks. On the trip I took, they threw in a derailment for free also. No problem, it took the crew 15 minutes to get the derailed car back on the track (not the one I was on).

Have fun and I look forward to your pictures.

No.3 and No.4 normally meet at Glorieta, which is in CTC territory.

Alas, that's all there is on the line these days.  The remaining semaphores are set up as automatic permissive block signal system.  If you see a semaphore blade at Stop, there is either a train still in the block, moving away from you, or there is one which has passed the last siding switch in that direction, coming toward you.  If you are looking at semaphores, and one drops from Clear to Stop with no train in sight, then one has just passed the last siding switch in that direction and you will soon see it.

The station at Las Vegas is very nicely restored.

It is a little farther south, but the area I enjoy is Vaughn to Belin, US 60 than state 47 and 309.  Main street Vaughn is about as close to a real goat town I have ever seen.  A victim the railroad effect I assume. The UP BN crossing there is busy and results in about 10 miles of single track main line on the Santa Fe.  I believe this is the longest piece left on the Santa Fe between Chicago and Los Angeles.  There is also quite a bit to see in Belin. I enjoy the Harvey house Museum.  Vaughn was the Harvey House training school at one time, but that is all gone now.  The Road Runner commuter trains also come into Belin. One of the big Santa Fe gas or diesel self propelled cars in Belin being restored.  Do some research first so you know what to look for.

Thanks for the semaphore info. I may just stop by Glorieta...

And thanks for the info on Belen. It sounds like some action there, but I'll be up North. Will put it on my list for the next New Mexico visit.

Bert

I have done both at 500' agl in a Piper Cub.  Didn't see many trains.  Used to get gas at Mountainair on the Belen line - then they closed the Cities Service and I had to install an extra fuel tank.

I agree - the Chama line is not to be missed.  I have been behind three Mikados at once!

Here are a few pics from Las Vegas, New Mexico.

It was a cloudy rainy day as the Amtrak Southwest Cheif pulled in from the North.

Rolling past the old La Castenada Hotel.

Pulling into the nicely restored station.

The one passenger boarding.

It must have been quite a scene there at various times... Between all the old steam action that took place there and the Warbonnet scheme diesels that came through.

And of course, the obligatory photo from a ride on the the Cumbres and Toltec..

I've ridden the Chief a few times and will again next month. I can't find my Las Vegas pics but here are Raton and ABQ.....

And Fullerton CA......where I get off.

We are lusting for an Amtrak adventure to anywhere, and Southwest Chief was one that we looked at.  All include bus rides due to trackwork, just like last year and the year before.  Guess we'll drive.

The Southwest Chief is our train for all Amtrak travel east from Arizona - and west for that matter.  So, we have gone through New Mexico many times and it never gets old.  This spring three of us had the opportunity to ride on a private open ended observation car from La Junta to Albuquerque.  Here are a few of the New Mexico shots I took that day.

Semaphores are in operation through much of the Raton Pass line in New Mexico

 La Castenada, the Harvey House in Las Vegas

 The old church in Lamy

Apache Canyon outside Lamy

In Glorieta Pass