Description
The 18-mile rail line, connecting the New Mexico capital to the remainder of the world, is a microcosm of state and territorial history. Built as an afterthought, the line was paid for by the County of Santa Fe. It mirrors major events, from territorial expansion and world wars to the demise of the Harvey era of famous passenger trains and hotels. Recently purchased by local entrepreneurs, it is hoped that the line once again will reinvent itself.
Fred Friedman is a retired New Mexico Transportation Department Railroad Bureau chief, with an extensive background in New Mexico territorial and state railroad history. He has written and lectured throughout New Mexico on the subject.