Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Sneak peek ride given on Rail Runner

Jackie Schlotfeldt News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jschlotfeldt@news-bulletin.com

Belen Gearing up to provide rail service from Belen to Sandoval County US 550, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express has been making test runs from Albuquerque to Bernalillo, preparing its engineers and conductors for its big debut this summer.

On Wednesday, May 24, Mayor Ronnie Torres and Councilor Terese Ulivarri, along with several invited guests boarded the Rail Runner and took a ride, checking out what it will offer once it is in full operation.

While construction crews have been busy building stations along the scheduled routes, once completed, the train will provide alternative transportation for commuters along the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

Chris Blewett, director of transportation and planning services, has been working on this project for two years and said when complete, there will be three trains running in the rotation, with a fourth possibly added in January. A fifth train will be on standby if needed.

"There was never any doubt this would happen," Blewett said.

In all, there are five locomotives and 10 cars, which have the capacity to carry 200 passengers. "There are 140 seats on board, and plenty of room for standing passengers," Blewett said.

So when can the citizens of Belen expect to ride the rail?

Blewett said they are looking at September for the train to be in operation in Belen. "A signal system has to be installed between Belen and Isleta before it can run," he said.

The signal system, in layman terms, is equivalent to a traffic signal. Right now, when a train leaves Belen, no other train can go until it emerges from Isleta, however, once a signal system is installed it allows other trains to know the exact location of the first train. With this device in operation, another train can be sent five to 10 minutes after the first one departs.

Onboard the Rail Runner Express you will find every amenity you can think of, from a large bathroom facility, to comfortable seats with tables and outlets to power up a computer so passengers can get some work done on their daily commute.

In addition, the train is wheelchair accessible along with enough space for bicycles to be transported, along with bike racks at each station.

Ulivarri said she noticed how people were conversing with each other on the ride from Albuquerque to Bernalillo. "It's so cool," she said. "Everybody's talking to each other, having conversations."

Most of the seats on the train face each other, allowing for interaction, yet there are front facing seats on the lower level of the train.

The conductors on the Rail Runner are there to assist passengers, announce stops and are educated in railroad functions and rules.

"For the last couple of months the crews have been working with law enforcement and EMS response agencies, so they will be trained in emergencies," Blewett said. "There is a joint power agreement between all the entities and if something arises, the conductor will call ahead and security personnel will take over when they reach their next stop."

Furthermore, Blewett said they have looked at policies and operations around the country and are working on policies regarding riders. "There will be an age limit for riders, although that hasn't been decided as of yet," he said.

The preliminary train schedule has been set however, Blewett said they have heard from citizens who are interested in a reverse morning commute and an earlier train back to Belen from Albuquerque.

"We conducted a pretty extensive survey, finding peak travel times in Valencia County, Sandoval County and Bernalillo so we could understand our biggest markets," Blewett said. "We will look at the schedule but we can't really compromise the movement of freight in this corridor. Our thinking is to add a third train in the rotation if we can work it out."

Cindy Clark, executive director of the Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce, said she used to ride the train from Denver to Chicago. "I like trains and I think it would be a great thing to take with friends," she said.

Throughout the ride, comments such as cool, awesome and I love it could be heard among the passengers.

Torres said Blewett was involved in every detail of the commuter rail, from the flooring and fabric design down to the small parts and screws. "I'd use it if I had to come to Albuquerque every day," he said.

While folks will have to wait a little longer before they can jump aboard, the possibilities of this alternative mode of travel whether for business or pleasure, is boundless.

There will be no charge to ride the Rail Runner for the first three months of operation and then a charge of $2 will be implemented until the end of the year. In 2007 there will be an increase in fares with discounts for seniors, children and disabled riders. For more information on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, visit www.nmrailrunner.com

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