Hot off the press –from the
NM Rail Runner Express
Executive Director Lawrence Rael and NM
Transportation Secretary Gary Giron present the Two Millionth
Rail Runner passenger with the Grand Prize
If you are a member of the news media and have any questions about the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, please contact our Communications Manager Augusta Meyers at ameyers@mrcog-nm.gov
Rail Runner Announces
Schedule & Fare Adjustments
Changes Effective February 15, 2010
(Albuquerque,
NM –
February 1, 2010) – In two
weeks, passengers aboard the New Mexico Rail Runner Express will see
some changes in both train fares and service. The Rio Metro RTD Board – which manages the Rail Runner and
its regional transit connections – voted on these changes last week.
More Information
Governor Bill Richardson Announces Plan to
keep Rail Runner Running on Weekends
(Santa Fe, NM - January 25, 2010)–
Governor Bill Richardson today announced a plan that ensures weekend
service for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express.
The Governor’s Office worked with the
Department of Transportation and the Rio Metro Regional Transit
District to come up with a funding solution that would cover the
district’s shortfall, keeping the train running seven days a week.
More
Information
Collectible
Station Pins & Patches Now Available
A Different Station Pin & Patch Will Be
Released Each Month
(Albuquerque,
NM –
January 7, 2010) – This
coming Monday, January 11th, the New Mexico Rail Runner
Express will release its first in a series of collectible pins and
patches displaying the icons of each Rail Runner train station. The
first pins and patches to be released for sale to the public on
Monday include the Belen and Los Lunas Rail Runner Stations.
“People
have really come to identify with the Rail Runner logo”, says Dewey Cave,
Interim Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of
Governments. “These commemorative pins and patches take the branding
a step further with each individual station logo, as well as provide
something collectible for those who’ve watched the Rail Runner add
stations as the service has grown.”
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San Felipe Pueblo Gets Quiet Zone
Pueblo Residents Will Hear
Less Train Noise
(San Felipe Pueblo,
NM – December 30,
2009) –
This coming Monday
– January 4th – the Hagen Road railroad crossing on San
Felipe Pueblo will officially “go quiet” - meaning that trains will
stop sounding their horns when passing through the area.
“The
residents of San Felipe Pueblo will notice a significant difference
in this area in terms of train noise reduction”, says Dewey Cave,
Interim Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of
Governments. “The upgrades that are made to qualify the quiet zones
are meant to keep motorists from trying to beat a train through the
crossing. The obvious bonus of course is that they also reduce the
impact of noise in the community”.
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Rail Runner Express Offers Rides
to the New Mexico Bowl
Lobo Special Events Platform a Convenient Stop
for Fans
The New Mexico Rail Runner
Express once again prepares to help football fans
get to this weekend’s New Mexico Bowl featuring
Fresno State and
Wyoming.
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New Mexico Rail Runner Express Featured on the
Santa Fe TV Show
Lifestyle Show Highlights
Train as Part of Santa Fe's Chic Urban Lifestyle
(Albuquerque,
NM –
December 11, 2009)-
The New Mexico Rail Runner
Express is very proud to be part of a new monthly web program called
the "Santa Fe TV Show.com". The Rail Runner will be featured in the
first episode which premiers today directly on our website:
www.nmrailrunner.com.
The show features Santa Fe's
urban city chic style with its fine dining, refined wine culture,
and hip art scene. It also explores various “day trips” that can be
taken all over New Mexico – in many
cases using the Rail Runner and some of its many connecting partners
to get there.
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Bring Your Camera and Take
a Picture with Santa
Santa Rides the Rails for Photos on the Train
(Albuquerque,
NM –
December 8, 2009)- The next
two Saturdays - December 12th and 19th -
people will get a chance to have their child’s photo taken with
Santa Claus aboard the New Mexico Rail Runner Express. Santa will
begin his journey at the Downtown Albuquerque Rail Runner station
when he boards the 9:46 a.m. train heading south to Belen. Once he
arrives in Belen, he will hop on the 10:48 a.m. train heading north
and arriving at the Santa Fe Depot at 1:06 in the afternoon. At 1:20
p.m., Santa will leave Santa Fe and take the Rail Runner all the way
back to Belen and then catch the 3:58 p.m. train to finish his day
right back where he started in Downtown Albuquerque.
More
Information
Bernalillo County Approves New Vision for
Area Near South Valley Rail Runner Station
Rail Runner Will Provide Focal Point for Mixed-use
District Offering a Broad Range of Jobs, Housing Types and
Destinations
(Bernalillo County, NM – November 25,
2009) –
With the New Mexico Rail Runner Express bringing a steady flow of
commuters in and out of the station at Rio Bravo and south Second
Street, the Bernalillo County / International Sunport Rail Runner
station is poised to play an important role in the future of the
South Valley. The Bernalillo County Commission last night
unanimously adopted the “Bernalillo County / International Sunport
Station Area Plan” which is designed to help the area transform into
a mixed-use area offering local and regional employment and retail
opportunities, housing, and other amenities.
More Information
MRCOG Executive Director Featured Next to
Train on Cover of November Issue of Mass Transit Magazine
(Albuquerque, NM - November 23, 2009)
-The New Mexico Rail Runner Express got the cover spot on this
month’s Mass Transit Magazine – a national publication dedicated
to critical issues in our nation’s transit industry.
“This is great public relations for New Mexico”,
says Lawrence Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of
Governments. “We are certainly proud of the job we’ve done to bring
commuter rail to our citizens, and now the rest of the country can
read about it. This really puts New Mexico on the map.”
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Rail Runner Holiday Coat Drive
Passenger encouraged to clean out their closets and help keep New
Mexico warm this winter!
(Albuquerque,
NM -
November 4, 2009)-
During
this economic recession, thousands of people in New Mexico are in need of food and
clothing. The holiday season is particularly difficult for many
families. This year, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express has teamed
up with the Storehouse of Greater Albuquerque to sponsor a holiday
coat drive. There will be collection barrels on each Rail Runner
train beginning tomorrow - Thursday, November 5th.
“This is a great way for Rail Runner passengers to
reach out to those in need this holiday season,” says
Lawrence Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region
Council of Governments. “Many of the thousands of New Mexicans who
don’t have sufficient winter clothing are children. The Storehouse
of Greater Albuquerque has more than a 150-people coming to receive
food and clothing each day, so we’re glad the Rail Runner can help
with their efforts.”
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Defibrillators Installed on
Train
Staff Members Get Trained on CPR and
Lifesaving Equipment
(Albuquerque,
NM –
October 8, 2009)
–
41 engineers, conductors and
ticket clerks on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express are now fully
trained and certified in the use of lifesaving defibrillators that
are now installed on the cab cars of every New Mexico Rail Runner
Express train set.
“When you consider the fact that a person can be
on the train anywhere from 15-minutes to two-hours, it makes sense
to have this kind of equipment in the event of a medical emergency”,
says Lawrence Rael,
Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “We
look at this as a continued effort to provide safe transportation”.
More Information
NMRX Enhances Safety with New Signaling
System
CTC System Offers Greater Safety & Efficiency in
Corridor
(Albuquerque,
NM – October 5, 2009) –
Various construction crews are working
on the last 13 miles of railroad track in the New Mexico Rail
Runner Express corridor replacing the train’s current system of
signals with a new Centralized Traffic Control System. The CTC,
as it’s called, will assist train dispatchers in moving trains
more efficiently, thus enhancing the safety of the corridor
while also improving on-time performance for the New Mexico Rail
Runner Express.
“This
CTC system addresses on-time performance, but even more so – it’s
about safety”, says Lawrence Rael,
Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “Much
like traffic signals in a roadway system that keep traffic flowing
smoothly, the synchronized signals in this new system are designed
to create greater safety in the corridor.”
More Information
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Teams Up with the New Mexico Rail Runner
Express for a Special Offer
Offer Valid October 12 - November 30
SANTA FE, N.M – The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is proud to
announce that it will be offering a $2 admission discount to anyone
presenting a valid ticket for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express
between Oct. 12 and Nov. 30, 2009.
With the Rail Runner’s Santa Fe Depot station
only a half–mile away from the museum, many visitors from
Albuquerque, Los Lunas, Belen, Bernalillo and the rest of the middle
Rio Grande valley have a more convenient way to visit the museum and
experience Georgia O’Keeffe’s works for themselves.
More Information
Introductory Run for NM Rail Runner Express
to Lobo Football Game working so well that it continues for
this Saturday’s game!
New Platform at Commercial and Avenida Cesar Chavez perfect for
boarding and deboarding
(Albuquerque,
NM –
September 15, 2009) –
The first run of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express to its new
Lobo Special Events Platform last Saturday was a big success –
in fact, it went so smoothly that Lobo football fans will get
another chance to do it again for this Saturday’s home
game with Air Force.
“We’re very excited about
how well this past Saturday’s introductory run worked out for those
who decided to avoid the hassle of parking and use the train and
shuttle to get to the game”, says Lawrence Rael, Executive Director
for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “This was a great
opportunity to see how this set-up will work for future events at
the University, as well as events at Albuquerque Isotopes Stadium.”
More Information
NM Rail Runner Express completes Lobo
Special Events Platform
Special Platform at Commercial and Avenida Cesar Chavez
ready for boarding and deboarding
(Albuquerque,
NM – September
9,
2009)-
The New Mexico Rail Runner
Express is ready to open its Lobo Special Events Platform.
“This is yet another way
the New Mexico Rail Runner Express can help New Mexicans attend
special events at the University of New Mexico”, says Governor Bill
Richardson.
More
information
Ride the New Mexico Rail Runner Express and
use the “Buddy Plan” to get two-for-one admission at the NM
State Fair
Fair Deal Bargain Book offers savings when two people
ride the train!
(Albuquerque,
NM – September
9,
2009)-
Those wanting to use the
New Mexico Rail Runner Express to get to the New Mexico State Fair
this year will get the price of one Fair admission free if they ride
the train with a buddy! The train and the fair have partnered to
offer a “Rail Runner Buddy Plan” which allows two-for-one admission
to the fair when two people ride the train.
More
information
Record crowds ride train for Labor Day
Weekend
More than 26,000 ride the New Mexico Rail Runner
Express over the holiday weekend!
(Santa
Fe,
NM – September
8,
2009)-
A whopping 26,483
people boarded the New Mexico Rail Runner Express this past Labor
Day Holiday weekend. Many used the service to get to the New Mexico
Wine Festival in the Town of Bernalillo, and the City of Santa Fe’s
400th Celebration.
More information
NM Rail Runner Express begins Sunday Service
this weekend
This Sunday train schedule goes from six to seven days
a week on a regular basis
(Santa
Fe,
NM – September
8,
2009)-
The New Mexico Rail Runner
Express will officially kick off its regular Sunday service this
coming Sunday, September 13th. While Sundays are still important
days for track and equipment maintenance, a limited schedule of
service will offer opportunities for people to ride the train both
early in the day and later in the evening.
“We can certainly tell from
our past experiences of offering special Sunday service, that people
are going to embrace this opportunity”, says Lawrence Rael,
Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments.
“Offering Sunday service will offer more options to those wanting to
use the train to spend the weekend in Santa Fe, and for those who
simply want to go up for the day.”
See the new Sunday
Schedule.
New Mexico Rail Runner Express running later
train to accommodate Santa Fe’s Zozobra Event
Last train back from Santa Fe will leave later than
usual this Thursday
(Santa
Fe,
NM – September
8,
2009)-
An adjustment is being made
to the train schedule for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express to
allow people to attend the burning of Zozobra on Thursday, September
10th. The last train leaving Santa Fe will be moved from 9:30 p.m.
to 11:00p.m.
People planning to use the
train to get to Zozobra can take the short walk from the train
station to Fort Marcy Park for the event.
“Extending our late train a
little later will allow those attending the burning of Zozobra to
use the train to get to the event and back”, says Lawrence Rael,
Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments.
Later Trains for Labor Day Weekend
Activities
Last Trains Departing Santa Fe Will Leave Later on Friday,
Saturday & Sunday
(Santa
Fe,
NM – September 1,
2009)-
Those planning on using the New Mexico
Rail Runner Express to partake in various Labor Day Weekend
festivities going on throughout the region, will be able to catch
some later trains home from their respective events. There are a
number of events going on for the Labor Day Holiday Weekend
including the New Mexico Wine Festival in the Town of
Bernalillo, the
Santa Fe 400th Anniversary
celebration, and activities at the Santa Fe Opera grounds. To allow
people to attend various events and still return on the train at the
end of the evening, the last train leaving Santa Fe has been moved
from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
More Information
Special Labor Day Weekend Service to the Wine
Festival
Passengers Urged to Purchase Tickets On-Line
(Bernalillo,
NM-August
26, 2009)-
For the fourth
year, visitors to the New Mexico Wine Festival will have another
transportation alternative to get to the wildly popular affair. The
New Mexico Rail Runner Express is once again offering special train
service over the upcoming long Labor Day weekend. And just as in
years past, people taking the train can catch a free shuttle bus
from the U.S. 550/Sandoval County station to the festival, or they
can opt to take a short walk from the station to the annual event.
“For the past three years, the Rail Runner
connection to the Wine Festival has been a tremendous success”, says
Lawrence Rael, Executive Director for the
Mid-Region Council of Governments. “Lots of people take advantage of
the opportunity to avoid the traffic and parking hassles, and we
expect record numbers to take the train to the Festival again this.”
More Information
New Mexico Initiates
Safety Program for ATV's
Bobby J's Yamaha Hosts Safety Program Friday
(Albuquerque,
NM August 26, 2009)
–
New Mexico all-terrain vehicle (ATV) owners
are the focus of a new safety program to educate ATV riders not to
ride on or near railroad tracks. The goal of the effort is to reduce
the trespassers along the Belen to Santa Fe Corridor, followed by
other areas throughout New Mexico.
Members of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), NM Rail Runner
Express, BNSF, and NM Operation Lifesaver will visit
Albuquerque-area ATV retail outlets this Friday to inform ATV riders
of the dangers of trespassing on railroad rights-of-way.
More Information
US Patent & Trademark
Office Renders Decision on Trademark for New Mexico Rail Runner
Express
Commuter Train Maintains Right to Use Name and
Logo
(Albuquerque,
NM – August 11,
2009) –
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
(PTO) issued a determination stating that the
New Mexico Rail Runner Express
has met the requirements for official trademark registration as set
forth by that office.
“As New Mexicans, we are all proud of the name and
logo of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express,” Governor Bill
Richardson said. “This trademark decision is a huge victory for the
people of New Mexico.”
More Information
Emergency Preparedness Training at Domingo
Siding
First Full Scale Emergency
Exercise on Tribal Land
(Domingo,
NM – August 4,
2009)
-
This Sunday,
emergency responders from Santo Domingo Pueblo, the New Mexico State
Police, and throughout
Sandoval
County will get an opportunity to respond
to a “Real Time” emergency aboard the New Mexico Rail Runner
Express. A full scale emergency preparedness exercise has been set
up to allow members from pueblo and area law enforcement, fire, and
rescue agencies to test their skills in the event of a true railway
disaster.
More Information
New Mexico Rail Runner Express Installs Life Saving Defibrillators
on Train Cars
Staff Gets Qualified on Equipment
(Albuquerque,
NM – July
31, 2009) –
Engineers, conductors and ticket clerks on the New Mexico Rail
Runner Express are beginning the first of four weekends of classes
on how to administer defibrillator procedures to passengers in an
emergency situation aboard the train. The training comes in advance
of defibrillators that will soon be installed on the cab cars of
every Rail Runner train set.
“When
you consider the fact that a person can be on the train anywhere
from 15-minutes to two-hours, it makes sense to have this kind of
equipment in the event of a medical emergency”, says Lawrence Rael,
Executive Director for the Mid-Region Council of Governments. “We
look at this as a continued effort to provide safe transportation”.
More Information
New Mexico Rail Runner Express Creates Overflow Parking Lot at Los
Ranchos
Goal is to clear El Pueblo of parked cars and
create better traffic flow near station
(Albuquerque, NM - July 30, 2009) -
This week, crews have begun construction on an overflow Rail Runner
parking lot at the Los Ranchos/Journal Center Rail Runner Station in
the north valley. The overflow lot, which is directly across
the street from the station, will add another 130 parking spaces.
"This is a critical station for the Rail Runner," says Lawrence
Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments.
"The number of vehicles that park here on a daily basis is way over
what we had originally planned. By adding this overflow lot,
we can ensure our riders that we are responding to the increased
demands while easing congestion and traffic flow in the area."
More Information
New Mexico Rail Runner
Express Quiets North Valley
Residents living north of Osuna will soon hear less train noise
(Albuquerque,
NM – July 29, 2009) –
On Friday of this week, the remaining six North
Valley
railroad crossings between
Osuna Road and
Alameda Road will officially “go quiet” -
meaning that trains will stop sounding their horns when passing
through the area.
“This
has been a tremendous effort, but certainly well worth it when you
consider the significant difference in this area in terms of train
noise reduction”, says Lawrence Rael, Executive Director for the
Mid-Region Council of Governments. “With the addition of these last
six crossings going quiet, more neighborhoods and businesses along
the Rail Runner corridor will now be less impacted by the sound of
train horns”.
More
Information
New Train Schedules Begin August 1stSanta Fe
County/NM 599 Set to Come Online in August
(Albuquerque,
NM – July 22, 2009)-
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express will
open the Santa Fe County/NM 599 Station on Saturday, August 1st.
In order to accommodate this station, new weekday and Saturday
schedules will be effective on August 1st. Rail Runner
passengers are encouraged to throw out their old schedules and
print the new ones
now.
More Information
Rail Runner
Teams Up with Storehouse for Summer Food Drive
(Albuquerque,
NM – July
17, 2009)-
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express
is partnering with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)
service learning students, and the Storehouse of Greater Albuquerque
for a summer food drive. This food drive is a CNM Service Learning
Activity, organized and conducted by Service Learning students to
benefit the Storehouse.
More Information
Easy Connection to the Albuquerque Airport
Free Airport Shuttle Has a New
Look
(Albuquerque,
NM – June
17, 2009)-
There’s no mistaking it – the free
shuttle between the New Mexico Rail Runner Express and the
Albuquerque International Sunport just got a little easier to spot!
The shuttle, which operates between the Sunport and the Downtown
Albuquerque Rail Runner station more than a dozen times a day, now
boasts some new and eye-catching artwork to make it easier for
travelers to find it.
“This new look is really going to help people find
the shuttle a lot easier, as well as let others know that there
is a free shuttle that can connect them from the Rail Runner
directly to the airport”, says Lawrence
Rael, Executive Director of the Mid-Region Council
of Governments.
More Information
Work Begins on Quieting Remainder of North
Valley Crossings
Residents Living North of Osuna Road Will soon Hear Less
Train Noise
(Albuquerque,
NM – June
9, 2009) – Starting this
week, crews are beginning work on six North
Valley
railroad crossings between
Osuna Road and
Alameda Road to prepare the three-mile
stretch of track to become an official “quiet zone” - meaning that
trains will soon be able to stop sounding their horns when passing
through the area.
More Information
Rail Runner Celebrates
Two Million Riders!
And the winner is...
(Santa
Fe,
NM – June 3, 2009)-
This morning following the arrival
of the 7:39 northbound Rail Runner train at the South Capitol
Station in Santa Fe,
commuter Valerie Gladden became the two millionth passenger to ride
the New Mexico Rail Runner Express! The 50-year-old Motor Vehicle
Clerk says she boards the train at the Los Lunas Rail Runner Station
each morning, and takes it into Santa Fe where she makes
the short walk directly to her office from the station.
More Information
New Shuttle Service Between Santa Fe Rail Runner Station and
Taos
ALBUQUERQUE
– May 19, 2009 – The Town of Taos announced a new
express nonstop shuttle service to link New Mexico Rail Runner
travelers between Taos and Santa Fe. The new service – The Taos
Express – will run weekends this summer beginning June 4th.
More Information
New Mexico Lands First BIG Stop on Disney Cross-Country Train
Tour
Promotional Tour for 2009 Christmas
Movie Comes to Albuquerque and Santa Fe
(Albuquerque,
NM – May
14, 2009)-
Coming this June to a railroad
station near you – Santa Fe and Albuquerque
will be the first major stops on a cross-country Walt Disney train
tour promoting a new Christmas movie set to hit the big screen this
2009 Holiday Season. To promote the movie - called “A Christmas
Carol” featuring actor Jim Carrey, Walt Disney Productions is taking
its show on the road – or “track”, so to speak – embarking on a
40-city interactive whistle-stop train tour that kicks off in
Los Angeles
on Memorial Day Weekend.
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Nearly 90% of NM Rail Runner Passengers are Satisfied with
Service
Rail Runner Customers Say Train is Less
Stressful, Costs Less and is Good for the Environment
(Albuquerque,
NM - May 11, 2009) - According to a passenger survey
conducted between April 1 and April 15, nearly 90% of New Mexico
Rail Runner Express passengers are satisfied with the service.
This number is consistent with a passenger survey that
was conducted one year earlier when train service was only
available from Bernalillo to Belen.
More Information
Survey Results
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