Dec.-Feb. 2012 Xpress New Mexico Rail Runner Express Magazine

X

press DEC-FE b 2012-1 3

New mexico rail ruNNer express magaziNe

inside Train schedules new fares Free bus connections Holiday events

The saNTa fe New mexicaN • www.saNTafeN ewmexicaN .com

How the West Was Spun Telling the stories that made the American West, in New Mexico’s newest — and oldest — museum.

C’mon in.

With stories from the 1500s to today and tomorrow …

We’ve got you covered.

DEC-FEB 2012-13 | X PRESS

SANTA FE FOR EVERYONE

The BIGGEST Used Boot Store Around $

10

girl cowboy/cow

Shirts

Home of the $99 Boots

GUIDEto GALLERIES A special pull out section in Friday, December 14th.

Additional Santa Fe distribution.

Space reservation Friday, December 7.

To advertise call Art Trujillo at 995-3852.

“A First-Class Second-Hand Western Store”

Open Every Day 345 W. Manhattan, Santa Fe, NM kowboybootz@hotmail.com Across from the Train Station (505) 984-1256 or www.kowboyz.com

You turn to us.

Offer Expires 02/28/13

Federal Employees Who is fighting for your benefits in Congress?

NARFE Is! In today’s economic climate, federal benefit retirement programs are a target for Congress. NARFE is the only association dedicated to safeguarding and enhancing the benefits of America’s active and retired federal employees and their families.

www.narfe.org Visit uson onthe the W at Visit us Web www.NARFE.org or call: 800-627-3394 Join NARFE Join NARFEtoday! to NARFE is here for you.

________________________________________ National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association to:to: NARFE makesititeasy easytototell tellCongress Congresstotoprotect protectyour yourbenefits. benefits.GoGo NARFE makes www. www.PROTECT PROTECTAmericasHeartbeat AmericasHeartbeat.org .org

X press | DEC-F EB 2012-13

COVER phOtO kitty leaken OWNER robin martin pUBLIShER Ginny sohn EDItOR rob dean EDItORIAL CreatiVe direCtor deborah Villa 986-3027, dVilla@sFneWmeXiCan.Com maGaZine editor Pat West-barker

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press P ub l i she d de C. 5 , 2 012

New mexico rail ruNNer express magaziNe

ADVERtISING adVertisinG direCtor tamara hand 505-986-3007 marketinG direCtor moniCa taylor 505-995-3888

ARt DEpARtMENt manaGer sCott FoWler, dale deForest, elsPeth hilbert adVertisinG layout riCk artiaGa

ADVERtISING SALES mike Flores, 505-995-3840 Cristina iVerson, 505-995-3830 stePhanie Green, 505-995-3825 art truJillo, 505-995-3852

NAtIONALS ACCOUNt MANAGER rob neWlin, 505-995-3841

SYStEMS

ernie montoya

teChnoloGy direCtor miChael CamPbell

pRODUCtION oPerations direCtor al Waldron assistant ProduCtion direCtor tim Cramer PrePress manaGer dan GomeZ Press manaGer larry Quintana PaCkaGinG manaGer brian sChultZ

DIStRIBUtION CirCulation manaGer miChael reiChard distribution Coordinator reGGie PereZ

WEB diGital deVeloPment natalie GuillÉn WWW.santaFeneWmeXiCan.Com

Features

In every Issue

Next Generation 12 Holiday events 13 Stars for Amelia 16 Winter trains

6

Fares

8

Weekday schedules

9

Weekend schedules

7

10 Route map and connections

ADDRESS oFFiCe: 202 e. marCy st. hours: 8 a.m.-5 P.m. monday-Friday adVertisinG inFormation: 505-995-3820 deliVery: 505-986-3010, 800-873-3372 For CoPies oF this maGaZine, Call 505-428-7622 or email rPereZ@sFneWmeXiCan.Com.

Published by The Santa Fe New Mexican with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express

deC-Feb 2012-13 | X Press

5

ZONE-BASED FARES Effective May 21, 2012

SYSTEM MAP

(Receive Discount Online)

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR FARE

Santa Fe Depot

Step 1: Count the number of zones Count the number of zones through which you will travel.

Step 2: Pick the type of fare you need Do you want a one-way ticket, a day pass, or a monthly or annual pass? Are you eligible for a reduced fare?

Step 3: Check the chart below and see how much your fare is

South Capitol Zia Road

Santa Fe Co. NM 599

FULL FARE / TARIFA COMPLETA

1 zone 2 zones 3 zones 4 zones 5 zones 6 zones

one-way $2 $3 $5 $8 $9 $10

day pass $3 $4 $6 $9 $10 $11

monthly pass $39 $55 $72 $105 $110 $121

REDUCED FARE / TARIFA DE DESCUENTO day monthly one-way pass pass 1 zone $1 $2 $19 2 zones $1 $2 $28 3 zones $2 $3 $36 4 zones $4 $6 $52 5 zones $4 $7 $55 6 zones $5 $8 $61

annual pass $385 $550 $715 $1045 $1100 $1210

Kewa Pueblo

Sandoval Co. / US 550 Downtown Bernalillo

Sandia Pueblo

annual pass $187 $275 $352 $517 $550 $605

Los Ranchos Journal Center Montaño Downtown Albuquerque Bernalillo Co.

Children 9 and under ride free!

Isleta Pueblo

REDUCED FARES ARE AVAILABLE TO

•Youth ages 10-17 • Students with a valid student ID •Seniors age 62+

• People with disabilities who show: - A Medicare card - An NM Motor Vehicle Department notification - A letter from doctor indicating the disability (with exp. date) - An ABQ RIDE Honored Citizen Card - A Santa Fe Ride Card or Santa Fe Trails Half Fare Card - A disabled veteran ID card

Los Lunas Station Comming Soon

866-795-RAIL (7245) • www.nmrailrunner.com Customer Service Hours:

Mon - Wed: 5am - 9pm | Thur - Fri: 5am - 10:30pm | Sat: 7am - 11:30pm | Sun: 7am - 10pm

Rio Metro Regional Transit District is committed to its Title VI obligations. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin in the delivery of service.

To obtain more information on our nondiscrimination obligations or to file a Title VI complaint, contact us at 809 Copper Avenue NW, ABQ, NM 87102.

6

Belen

X press | DeC-FeB 2012-13

The nexT generaTion of riders

B y Jay Fa ught

Even if you don’t ride the train today, think about how important it will be for the next generation. That’s the message six-year-old Mateo Burgos is hoping to get across to the public in the New Mexico Rail Runner’s new marketing campaign that launched over Thanksgiving weekend.

According to Rio Metro Transit Director Terry Doyle, the goal of this campaign is to educate nonriders about the long-term benefits of a commuter rail system in our region. “Average commute times over the next 20 years will be twice as long as they are today,” Doyle said. “Even if a third lane is added someday on I-25, there aren’t any plans to expand roadways like St. Francis, Cerrillos or Old Pecos Trail in Santa Fe. The Rail Runner allows continued economic development in the capital without having to accommodate more vehicle lanes and added parking.”

Rio Metro partnered with The Phoenix Agency for a casting call to recruit a dozen children to be part of the television, print and outdoor advertisements. The kids range in age from three to 10 years old and are dressed in outfits that reflect the work they want to do as adults.

“From a police officer to a firefighter, airline pilot, chef and business woman, these kids really represent our current passengers

EJM PhotogRaPhy

well,” said Rio Metro Marketing Specialist Marie Morra. “We strongly feel that these kids can help bring our message home better than anyone else. After all, these children are our future riders.”

In the television ad, young Mateo is waiting for the Rail Runner at the Downtown Albuquerque station when his father leans over to him and says, “You know, son, this train was built for you. When you grow up, you’ll want to take this train to work every day because traffic is going to be much worse.”

Mateo then imagines himself as a U.S. Air Force pilot using the train to get to work in the future. When he boards the train, he sees all his friends dressed in the outfits that reflect their desired professions. While on the train, the kids have a conversation crediting their parents for having the foresight to support the New Mexico Rail Runner back in the day.

While the main target audience for the campaign is adults who don’t currently ride the train, there is also a secondary target audience: kids. “We hope these ads encourage children and families to think about the future and how public transportation might factor into their plans,” Doyle said. “Sure, it’s food for thought for what’s ahead, but that kind of thinking begins with giving the train a try today.”

Jay Faught is marketing manager for the Rio Metro Regional Transit District.

DEC-FEB 2012-13 | X PRESS

7

Weekday Schedule LUNES A VIERNES SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE 8/13/2012 /

Horario efectivo a partir del 13 de agosto 2012 ESTACIONES DE TREN

1. Decide whether you are going north (at top) or south (at bottom).

2. On the left-hand side, find the station from which you are leaving.

3. Read across to find the times the Rail Runner departs from that station.

4. From there, read down to find what time the Rail Runner will arrive at the station to which you are traveling.

COMO LEER EL HORARIO

Belen

–

–

–

Los Lunas

–

–

–

4:15A 5:49A 6:46A 8:15A

–

3:51P

–

6:01P 7:12P 8:08P

Isleta Pueblo

–

–

–

4:35A 6:02A 6:59A 8:27A

–

4:04P

–

6:16P 7:26P 8:22P

Bernalillo County

–

–

–

4:45A 6:10A 7:06A 8:35A

–

4:11P

–

6:29P 7:35P 8:31P

Downtown ABQ

4:00A

–

4:32A 5:02A 6:22A 7:19A 8:42A 9:35A 4:26P 5:34P 6:48P 7:42P 8:38P

Los Ranchos / JC

4:18A

–

4:47A 5:17A 6:34A 7:36A

–

9:50A 4:41P 5:49P 7:06P

–

–

–

–

4:52A 5:22A

–

7:42A

–

9:55A 4:46P 5:54P 7:12P

–

–

–

Sandia Pueblo Downtown Bernalillo Sandoval / US 550 Kewa

1. Decida si va a ir hacia el norte o hacia el sur 2. A la izquierda, busque la estación de donde va a salir

Northbound / Hacia el Norte #102 #504 EXPRESS #506 #508 #510 3:55A 5:39A 6:35A 8:04A –

TRAIN STATIONS

READING THE SCHEDULE

Shown are departure times, unless otherwise noted.

Horario demuestra tiempos de salida a no ser que se indique lo contrario.

SF County / NM 599

#500 PURPLE PURPLE SHUTTLE

#502

#512

#514

3:40P

–

5:51P 7:01P 7:57P

#516

#518

#520

–

–

5:01A 5:31A

7:52A

–

10:03A 4:54P 6:07P 7:26P

–

–

4:36A

–

5:05A 5:35A 6:46A 7:58A

–

10:08A 4:59P 6:12P 7:31P

–

–

–

–

5:25A 5:55A 7:05A 8:18A

–

10:28A 5:19P 6:34P 7:50P

–

–

5:11A 5:11A 5:48A 6:18A 7:24A 8:39A

–

10:51A 5:43P 6:57P 8:13P

–

–

3. Lea hacia la derecha hasta encontrar la hora que el tren sale de la estación de su preferencia

South Capitol

–

5:28A 6:08A 6:38A 7:40A 8:54A

–

11:11A 5:58P 7:17P 8:33P

–

–

4. De alli, lea hacia abajo hasta encontrar la hora que el tren llega a la estación de su preferencia

Santa Fe Depot

–

5:33A 6:13A 6:43A 7:45A 8:59A

–

11:16A 6:03P 7:22P 8:38P

–

–

READ DOWN LEA HACIA ABAJO

For departures from Downtown ABQ #500 Purple

ESTACIONES DE TREN

–

5:39A 7:13A 1:02P

–

–

–

5:43A 7:18A 1:07P

–

4:20P 5:09P 5:35P 6:51P 9:05P

–

–

–

6:01A 7:37A 1:26P

–

4:39P 5:26P 5:54P 7:10P 9:24P

–

–

–

6:19A 7:55A 1:44P

–

4:57P

–

–

5:51A

–

6:38A 8:14A 2:03P

–

5:16P 6:02P 6:31P 7:47P 10:01P

Downtown Bernalillo

–

–

–

–

6:43A 8:18A 2:07P

–

5:20P

–

6:35P 7:51P 10:05P

Sandia Pueblo

–

–

–

–

6:52A 8:27A 2:16P

–

5:29P

–

6:44P 8:00P 10:14P

Los Ranchos / JC

–

–

–

6:04A 6:57A 8:32A 2:21P

–

5:34P 6:14P 6:49P 8:05P 10:19P

Santa Fe Depot

Use bus stop on 1st street at Alvarado Transit Center

Use la parada de autobús ubicada por la Calle Primera en el Centro de Transporte Alvarado

#505B - Use bus bay “N”

Utilice el área de autobuses “N”

Free Bus Connections Present your valid printed New Mexico Rail Runner Express ticket and ride these buses for FREE. There are more than 60 bus connections from Belen to Santa Fe that can take you just about anywhere you want to go!

Shown are departure time unless otherwise noted

Southbound / Hacia el Sur

#101 #515 EXPRESS #517 #519 #521 4:15P 5:04P 5:30P 6:46P 9:00P

TRAIN STATIONS

#501 –

#503 #505-A #505-B #507 –

South Capitol

–

–

SF County / NM 599

–

Kewa

–

Sandoval / US 550

Downtown ABQ

–

#509

#511

NCRTD

–

6:12P 7:28P 9:42P

4:45A 5:30A 6:20A 6:25A 7:10A 8:45A 2:37P 4:30P 5:50P 6:25P 7:02P 8:18P 10:32P

Bernalillo County

4:53A 5:41A

–

6:37A 7:19A

–

2:45P 4:38P 5:57P

–

7:09P

–

–

Isleta Pueblo

5:01A 5:49A

–

6:49A 7:27A

–

2:52P 4:45P 6:06P

–

7:17P

–

–

Los Lunas

5:13A 6:06A

–

7:09A 7:39A

–

3:05P 4:58P 6:22P

–

7:31P

–

–

Belen

5:24A 6:17A

–

7:27A 7:50A

–

3:15P 5:08P 6:33P

–

7:42P

–

–

READ DOWN LEA HACIA ABAJO

Designated QUIET CAR Service Only cars nearest to locomotive are Quiet Cars Means train does not stop

Significa el tren no hace parada

ABQ RIDE

#513

RIO METRO SANDOVAL

SANTA FE TRAILS

0:00

Train arrives but does not continue

Tren llega hasta este punto pero no continua

Service provided by Rio Metro RTD bus

Servicio y fondos para autobús proporcionados por Rio Metro RTD

RIO METRO VALENCIA

Rio Metro is committed to its Title VI obligations. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin in the delivery of service. To obtain more information on our nondiscrimination obligations or to file a Title VI complaint, contact us at 809 Copper Avenue NW, ABQ, NM 87102.

El Río Metro esta comprometido a sus obligaciones con Title VI. No discriminamos a base de raza, color o origen nacional al desempeñar nuestro servicio.

Para obtener más información sobre nuestra obligación con Title VI o para presentar una queja, favor de contactarnos en 809 Copper NW, ABQ, NM 87102.

HORARIO DEL SABADO ESTACIONES DE TREN

Northbound Saturday / Sabado Hacia el Norte

Saturday Schedule ESTACIONES DE TREN

Southbound Saturday / Sabado Hacia el Sur

#702

#704

#706

#708

#710

#701

#703

#705

#707

#709

#711

Belen

8:28A

1:08P

5:50P

7:41P

10:30P

Santa Fe Depot

–

10:48A

3:28P

–

8:09P

10:01P

Los Lunas

8:38A

1:18P

6:00P

7:51P

10:40P

South Capitol

–

10:53A

3:33P

–

8:14P

10:06P

Isleta Pueblo

8:49A

1:29P

6:11P

8:02P

10:51P

SF County / NM 599

–

11:09A

3:49P

–

8:30P

10:22P

Bernalillo County

8:56A

1:36P

6:18P

8:09P

10:58P

Kewa

–

11:27A

4:07P

–

8:48P

10:40P

Downtown ABQ

9:06A

1:46P

6:28P

8:19P

11:08P

Sandoval / US 550

–

11:45A

4:25P

–

9:06P

10:58P

Los Ranchos / JC

9:21A

2:01P

6:43P

8:34P

–

Downtown Bernalillo

–

11:48A

4:28P

–

9:09P

11:01P

8:39P

–

Sandia Pueblo

–

11:56A

4:36P

–

9:17P

11:09P

8:47P

–

Los Ranchos / JC

–

12:01P

4:41P

–

9:22P

11:14P

TRAIN STATIONS

Sandia Pueblo Downtown Bernalillo

9:26A 9:34A

2:06P 2:14P

6:48P 6:56P

TRAIN STATIONS

Sandoval / US 550

9:37A

2:17P

6:59P

8:50P

–

Downtown ABQ

7:35A

12:16P

4:58P

6:48P

9:37P

11:29P

Kewa

9:55A

2:35P

7:17P

9:08P

–

Bernalillo County

7:45A

12:26P

5:08P

6:58P

9:47P

–

SF County / NM 599

10:13A

2:53P

7:35P

9:26P

–

Isleta Pueblo

7:52A

12:33P

5:15P

7:05P

9:54P

–

South Capitol

10:29A

3:09P

7:51P

9:42P

–

Los Lunas

8:03A

12:44P

5:26P

7:16P

10:05P

–

Santa Fe Depot

10:34A

3:14P

7:56P

9:47P

–

Belen

8:13A

12:54P

5:36P

7:26P

10:15P

–

–

READ DOWN

READ DOWN

LEA HACIA ABAJO

LEA HACIA ABAJO

HORARIO DEL DOMINGO ESTACIONES DE TREN

Northbound Sunday / Domingo Hacia el Norte

Sunday Schedule

ESTACIONES DE TREN

Southbound Sunday / Domingo Hacia el Sur

TRAIN STATIONS

#702

#704

#706

TRAIN STATIONS

#701

#703

#705

#709

Belen

8:28A

1:08P

5:50P

Santa Fe Depot

–

10:48A

3:28P

8:09P

Los Lunas

8:38A

1:18P

6:00P

South Capitol

–

10:53A

3:33P

8:14P

Isleta Pueblo

8:49A

1:29P

6:11P

SF County / NM 599

–

11:09A

3:49P

8:30P

Bernalillo County

8:56A

1:36P

6:18P

Kewa

–

11:27A

4:07P

8:48P

Downtown ABQ

9:06A

1:46P

6:28P

Sandoval / US 550

–

11:45A

4:25P

9:06P

Los Ranchos / JC

9:21A

2:01P

6:43P

Downtown Bernalillo

–

11:48A

4:28P

9:09P

Sandia Pueblo

9:26A

2:06P

6:48P

Sandia Pueblo

–

11:56A

4:36P

9:17P

Downtown Bernalillo

9:34A

2:14P

6:56P

Los Ranchos / JC

–

12:01P

4:41P

9:22P

Sandoval / US 550

9:37A

2:17P

6:59P

Downtown ABQ

7:35A

12:16P

4:58P

9:37P

Kewa

9:55A

2:35P

7:17P

Bernalillo County

7:45A

12:26P

5:08P

–

SF County / NM 599

10:13A

2:53P

7:35P

Isleta Pueblo

7:52A

12:33P

5:15P

–

South Capitol

10:29A

3:09P

7:51P

Los Lunas

8:03A

12:44P

5:26P

–

10:34A

3:14P

8:13A

12:54P

5:36P

–

Santa Fe Depot

7:56P

Belen

READ DOWN

–

READ DOWN

LEA HACIA ABAJO

LEA HACIA ABAJO

Free Bus Connections Present your valid printed New Mexico Rail Runner Express ticket and ride these buses for FREE. There are more than 60 bus connections from Belen to Santa Fe that can take you just about anywhere you want to

ABQ RIDE

NCRTD

RIO METRO SANDOVAL

SANTA FE TRAILS

RIO METRO VALENCIA

Rio Metro is committed to its Title VI obligations. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin in the delivery of service. To obtain more information on our nondiscrimination obligations or to file a Title VI complaint, contact us at 809 Copper Avenue NW, ABQ, NM 87102.

El Río Metro esta comprometido a sus obligaciones con Title VI. No discriminamos a base de raza, color o origen nacional al desempeñar nuestro servicio.

Para obtener más información sobre nuestra obligación con Title VI o para presentar una queja, favor de contactarnos en 809 Copper NW, ABQ, NM 87102.

DEC-FEB 2012-13 | X PRESS

9

10

X press | DeC-FeB 2012-13 DeC- FeB 2012-13 | X press 11

Station Coming Soon

Rio Metro Route 202 - Weekdays to Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Santa Ana Pueblo, Algodones, Santo Domingo Pueblo, Cochiti Pueblo and the town of Cochiti Lake.

Hollywood Casino Shuttle at San Felipe - Tuesday through Sunday only. Meets all southbound trains at this station.

Kewa Station at Santo Domingo Pueblo

NM 599 Station Shuttle - Weekdays to Rancho Viejo, the New Mexican Plaza, Jaguar, Camino Entrada, and Santa Fe Place Mall. Meets most trains.

NCRTD 599 Shuttle - Weekdays to the NM Department of Corrections, Onate Complex (National Guard) and the Santa Fe County Detention Center.

Santa Fe Trails Route 22 - Weekdays to Santa Fe Community College, Rancho Viejo and IAIA. NM Park & Ride Purple “Route” - Weekday direct connection between the Rail Runner and Los Alamos.

NM Park & Ride Purple “Shuttle” Route to connect from the first run of the morning on the NM Park & Ride Purple Bus Route to the South Capitol & Santa Fe Depot Stations. Weekday departure at 5:11 a.m.

Santa Fe County/NM 599 Station

Santa Fe Trails Route 4 (Southside) - To the Santa Fe Convention Center, City and County offices, Santa Fe High School and Santa Fe Place Mall.

South Capitol Shuttle - Weekdays to St. Vincent Hospital, the Rodeo Business Park and the District 5 DOT office.

NM Park & Ride Blue Route Weekdays to Santa Fe, Pojoaque and Los Alamos.

NM Park & Ride Red Route Weekdays to Espanola, Pojoaque and Santa Fe. NM Park & Ride Orange Route Weekdays between Las Vegas and Santa Fe NCRTD Espanola Route – Weekdays between Santa Fe, Pojoaque, Española, Ohkay Owingeh.

NCRTD Tesuque Route – Weekdays between Santa Fe, Tesuque, Pojoaque and Española.

NCRTD Santa Clara Route – Weekdays between Santa Fe, Española and Santa Clara Pueblo..

Taos Express - To the Town of Taos. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only-reservations required. $10 per adult roundtrip.

Children 10 and under ride free. Exact change only.

Santa Fe Trails Route 2 (Cerrillos Road) To the West Capitol Complex, the New Mexico School for the Deaf and Santa Fe Place Mall connect here to SF Outlet Mall (Route 26).

South Capitol Station

For more information, fares and connections not listed, please contact these providers:

Belen

Los Lunas

Isleta Pueblo

Bernalillo Co.

Downtown Albuquerque

Montaño

Los Ranchos Journal Center

Sandia Pueblo

Downtown Bernalillo

Sandoval Co. / US 550

Kewa Pueblo

Santa Fe Co. NM 599

Zia Road

South Capitol

Santa Fe Depot

Santa Fe Pick Up - Free to the Santa Fe Plaza and designated locations with the red truck sign. Meets train weekdays 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Turn left when exiting the train to the shuttle.

Stops are every 15-minutes.

Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino Shuttle Shuttle stops on Guadalupe right next to Tomasita’s Restaurant.

Shuttle meets train daily.

Santa Fe Trails Route 2 (Cerrillos Road) To the West Capitol Complex, the New Mexico School for the Deaf and Santa Fe Place Mall connect here to SF Outlet Mall (Route 26).

Santa Fe Trails Route 4 (Southside) To the Santa Fe Convention Center, City and County offices, Santa Fe Place Mall and Santa Fe High School.

Santa Fe Trails Route M (Museum Hill) Access to the Museum of Spanish Art, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of International Folk Art and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian.

Taos Express - To the Town of Taos. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only-reservations required. $10 per adult roundtrip.

Children 10 and under ride free. Exact change only.

Santa Fe Depot

Rio Metro Route 206 - Weekday service for Belen residents to connect to the Rail Runner station and other nearby work centers during peak commute times.

Rio Metro Dial-A-Ride - Weekday dial-a-ride service for the Valencia County area. Rides must be scheduled 24 hours in advance by calling 505-352-3595. Rides are $1 each way.

Socorro Shuttle - Monday-Saturday service to Socorro. All rides $1. Only one northbound bus and one southbound bus will meet the train at the Belen Station – reservations required.

Belen

Rio Metro Route 207 – Weekday service for Los Lunas residents to connect to the Rail Runner station and other nearby work centers during peak commute times.

Rio Metro Dial-A-Ride - Weekday dial-a-ride service for the Valencia County area. Rides must be scheduled 24 hours in advance by calling 505-352-3595. Rides are $1 each way.

Los Lunas

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Shuttle A bus meets every train seven days a week.

Isleta Pueblo Station

ABQ RIDE Route 222 - Weekdays to the South Valley, VA Hospital, Kirtland Air Force Base and the airport business district.

Can also be used to access the Albuquerque International Sunport for passengers coming and going to Valencia County.

Bernalillo County Station

ABQ RIDE Route 766 - Rapid Ride Red Line – Express route located in the front of the building to access Old Town, the ABQ BioPark, UNM, Nob Hill and Uptown.

ABQ RIDE Route 777 - Rapid Ride Green Line –Express route located in the front of the building to access UNM, Nob Hill, and the Foothills near Tramway.

ABQ RIDE Route 40 - The D-RIDE – Free downtown circulator that runs every 7 minutes Monday- Friday.

ABQ RIDE Route 53 - Isleta-Access to the Albuquerque Zoo and the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

ABQ RIDE Route 217 Kirtland Air Force Base Connections to Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) and Kirtland Air Force Base.

ABQ RIDE Route 250 - Airport Express. Direct route to the Albuquerque International Sunport.

Rio Metro Route 505 B Weekdays to Isleta Pueblo, Los Lunas and Belen. Bus leaves daily at 6:25 a.m. Board this route at Bus Bay “N”.

Other ABQ RIDE Routes - There are nearly 40 other ABQ RIDE bus routes that get you just about anywhere in the city.

Downtown Albuquerque

ABQ RIDE Route 251 Weekdays to the Journal Center business district, Century 24 Theatre, Cottonwood Mall, Intel and Rio Rancho.

Rio Metro Route 505-B Weekdays to Albuquerque before the first southbound train run.

Los Ranchos/Journal Center Station

Sandia Resort & Casino Shuttle Shuttles meets every train, seven days a week.

Sandia Pueblo Station

Route 505-A – Weekday express service to Downtown Albuquerque before the first southbound train run of the morning.

Santa Ana Star Casino Shuttle Meets every train, seven days a week.

Hollywood Casino Shuttle at San Felipe Meets all northbound trains, Tuesday through Sunday only.

Rio Metro Route 201 Weekdays to Bernalillo and Enchanted Hills.

Rio Metro Route 204 - Weekdays to Bernalillo, northern Rio Rancho, Zia Pueblo, San Ysidro, Jemez Pueblo and Jemez Springs.

Rio Metro Route 505A Weekdays to Los Ranchos and Downtown Albuquerque before the first southbound train run of the morning.

Sandoval County/US 550

with your valid printed New mexico Rail Runner Express ticket.

SYSTEM MAP

Most connections are

celebraTe winTer Take THe Train TO THeSe SPecial HOliDay evenTS Whether it’s the Christmas Eve Canyon Road walk among the farolitos and luminarias in Santa Fe, the Harvey House Festival of Trees in Belen, or one of the many winter and holiday events in between, the Rail Runner Express offers an affordable, comfortable and convenient way to take them all in with your family and friends.

So check out these events — and note the rail and local connections that will get you there and back.

Through December 31 Festival of Trees at the

Harvey House, 104 N. First St., Belen. 12:30 p.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays. Exit the train at the Belen station and walk west over the Reinken Avenue overpass into downtown to First and Becker streets. For more information, visit www.

Belen-nm.gov.

Through December 30

December Garden Holidays at the Albuquerque

Bio Park Aquarium and Garden, 2601 Central NW. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; closed Christmas Day. Admission $10 adult; $4.50 seniors and children 3-12. Exit the train at the Downtown Albuquerque station and board ABQ Ride Route 66 or Route 766 Rapid Ride Red Line to the BioPark Aquarium and Garden.

For more information, go to

www.cabq.gov/culturalservices/ biopark/garden/events/ december-garden-holidays/.

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Holiday open house at the New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W. Palace Ave. off the Santa Fe Plaza. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Gustave Baumann marionettes are featured in the museum’s St. Francis Auditorium. Take the Rail Runner to the Santa Fe Depot station and then catch the Santa Fe Pickup shuttle or walk to the Plaza. For more information, call 505-476-5072 or go to www.nmartmuseum.org.

December 7

Old Town Holiday Stroll

in Albuquerque. Festivities begin at 4 p.m.; log onto albuquerqueoldtown.com/ index.php?page=holiday-stroll for complete calendar of events.

Exit the train at the Downtown Albuquerque station and board ABQ Ride Route 66 or Rapid Ride Red Line to Old Town.

December 24

christmas at the Palace,

Palace of the Governors, 113 Lincoln Ave., Santa Fe. Enjoy music, hot cider and cookies, Santa and printing your own holiday cards in the Palace press shop. 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Get off the train at the Santa Fe Depot Station and take the shuttle, or walk the short distance to the Plaza. The last southbound train leaves the depot station at 9 p.m. For more information, call 505-476-1141 or visit www. nmhistorymuseum.org.

December 8

Harvey House christmas,

104 N. First St., Belen. 12:30 p.m.-3 p.m. Arts and crafts.

Exit the train at the Belen station and walk west over the Reinken Avenue overpass into downtown to First and Becker streets. Go to www.belen-nm. gov for more information.

December 8 to 30

Mandala sand painting

luis sÁnChez saturno

December 16

at Seret & Sons Gallery, 121 Sandoval St., Santa Fe. 2 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 8, opening ceremony and beginning of the sand mandala created by 10 Buddhist monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery; free.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 9 to Dec. 30, mandala construction and viewing; free. Leave the

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luis sÁnChez saturno

train at the Santa Fe Depot and take a shuttle or walk the short distance to the gallery.

December 9

lighting of the Menorah,

sponsored by Chabad Jewish Center of Santa Fe, on the Santa Fe Plaza. 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Hanukkah music, a magic show

by Clan Tynker, traditional songs and dancing. Leave the train at the Santa Fe Depot and take the Santa Fe Pickup shuttle or walk the short distance to the Plaza. For more information, call 505-983-2000 or 505-6997934 or email info@ chabadsantafe.com. las Posadas, on the Santa Fe Plaza. 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. The traditional re-enactment of the Holy Family’s search for a room in Bethlehem. Exit the train at the Santa Fe Depot station and take the shuttle to the Plaza, or walk the short distance. For more information, call 505-476-1141 or visit www. nmhistorymuseum.org. The last southbound train leaves the depot station at 8:09 p.m.

Farolito walk on Canyon Road in Santa Fe, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Exit train at South Capital station and catch the special shuttle buses, beginning at 5:30 p.m., to the former PERA building on Paseo de Peralta, a short walk to Canyon Road. The cost for the shuttle bus is $2 round trip, children free. For the return trip, the last shuttle bus back to the South Capitol Station leaves the PERA lot at 9:30 p.m. However, the last southbound Rail Runner train leaves the South Capitol Station at 9:05 p.m. For more information on the bus service, call-505 955-2001. For more information about the walk, email jebond@ci.santa-fe.us.

— Dennis Carroll

gene peaCh

Stars for Amelia

S t ory By Kri S ota

i l l uS t rat i onS By W i lli a m r o t Sa e r t

Once upon a time, not so long ago and not so far away, lived a little girl who loved a bison.

Now everyone knows that bison are fierce and dangerous, that they thunder across the plains, flattening everything in their path. And still, there was once a little girl named Mimi who loved a bison named Amelia and never suspected she might be loving something fierce.

Amelia didn’t thunder anywhere — she moseyed around on a ranch with Mimi and Mimi’s parents. And Amelia had no interest in flattening anything, unless it was a fly. When the flies landed on Amelia’s back, she swung her huge head at them, making sure the hard horns missed Mimi, who might be feeding her apple slices.

In this way, Mimi learned kindness, and she’d scratch her friend as high up in the soft brown wool as she could reach. Amelia’s eyes would rest half shut with this tenderness, and she’d sigh sweet apple breath, stretching out her long black tongue for more.

Sometimes they would let Amelia in close to the house so she could enjoy the tender grasses. Mimi would bring Mom’s cake decorating book onto the porch and describe her favorites to Amelia: the yellow Easter chick cupcakes, the candy mermaid in a cake shell, the tiny gingerbread people skating on a candy pond.

She loved the circus train. Each car was a brownie, the wheels were frosted cookies, and out of each window peeked a plump and smiling candy animal — a lion, a tiger, a bear.

Now sometimes trouble comes to visit, and it isn’t anyone’s DEC-FEB 2012-13 | X PRESS

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fault. When trouble came to the ranch, Mom and Dad started whispering together with worried eyes, holding papers in their hands. More and more, dinner meant different ways of eating the same rice and beans. Mimi spent extra time with Amelia, paging through the cake book — pausing at all those tall wedding cakes, each one with a tiny bride and groom standing side by side.

One summer evening, Amelia showed Mimi the first star in the sky, so they could both make a wish. Mimi closed her eyes and wished. She knew that it was bad luck to say her wish aloud, even to her best friend.

“Look, Amelia,” said Mimi the next morning, snapping a cottonwood twig at the seam and showing the perfect star shape inside. Amelia’s enormous eyes grew even bigger. She knew all about the magic of the world, but it still surprised her.

Just then Mom and Dad came out on the porch with their coffee cups and sat down. It was some kind of talk, and as it went on, Mimi broke a cottonwood branch again and again, looking for the stars. She found one when they said “tough times,” two when they said “sale,” three when they said “board Amelia,” four when they said “Nana and Buelo’s house in Santa Fe,” and five when they said “new school.” When it was all over, Mom and Dad went back inside, and Mimi had a bunch of broken twigs in her lap. When she got up to hug Amelia, they all fell to the ground.

✩✩✩ As the weeks passed, the summer days grew shorter and the tan moving boxes filled the house, making tunnel walkways Mimi couldn’t see over. She took the cake book into a corner and flipped through it. She found the circus train and remembered wishing on the star: I wish I may, I wish I might. Let us all ride a circus train, big enough for Amelia, to a magical place.

Dad would stay behind to settle things and Mimi would head to Santa Fe with Mom to be in time for the new school. When Mimi went to say goodbye to Amelia, neither one of them was hungry for the apple slices, so Mimi threw them with all her might across the yard, one by one, until she felt nothing but tired. Then came the long drive, just Mimi and Mom, and Mimi soon drifted into dreamland.

In the dream, she was on a train, riding through the night. She could see the stars out the window and tiny lights in the hills and down low on the land — stars everywhere. She touched her fingers to the cold glass. Suddenly she saw a running bison, close to the window. It was Amelia and it wasn’t her at the same time. This bison was fierce, serious. The huge head was next to Mimi, and one enormous eye looked right at her, saying something, something important. Mimi was trying to understand, but then the train went over a bump, and she woke up, her head against the car window, and they were pulling into Nana and Buelo’s driveway.

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When Nana opened the door, a half-burned, half-sweet smell came out with her. “Just in time for roasting chiles,” Nana said, pulling Mimi close. “I’m so happy you’re here!”

Buelo came out and lifted Mimi high in the air. “Welcome home, Mimi,” he said, hugging her tight. His soft shirt was still wrapped in the warm smell of roasted peppers. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep.

✩✩✩ Mimi was learning that there’s a hard side and an easy side. The nights were cold in December, but the sunny days warmed up the house. Mom was away a lot at her new job, but Dad would be here for good soon, not just on weekends.

Christmas was coming. Nana taught Mimi how to make bizcochitos — those crumbly holiday cookies sweet with anise seed. Buelo taught her how to make birdhouses that she could decorate any way she wanted and give away as presents.

One Saturday morning, Mom, Dad and Mimi bundled up and took the Rail Runner to the Albuquerque zoo. They sat up top and watched the land spread out as the train slid down the track.

A boy across the aisle wore a red Santa cap, and Mimi watched him closely in case he was an elf.

After playing a couple of card games, the family reached their stop, and Dad said they needed to take a short walk. Mimi looked around. This didn’t look like a big city: Beyond the little houses, decorated with wreaths and farolitos, stretched open fields. After a while they came to a place with a big barn, some trees and a meadow. There were two bison and one of them was running up to the fence. Mimi looked at Dad, at Mom. They were grinning back at her, and Mom was holding out a bag of apple slices. Mimi ran up to Amelia and reached through the fence to touch her old friend.

“We wanted to surprise you on the way to the zoo,” Dad said, walking up. “We wanted you to see for yourself just how close she is, how we can visit her whenever we want to.”

Mimi put an apple slice on Amelia’s tongue and touched the soft brown wool on the friend she’d missed so much. She remembered her dream of the night train and the fierce bison that was trying to tell her something. Touching Amelia’s soft wool, Mimi thought about love — the love between a girl and a bison and all the love from Mom and Dad, from Nana and Buelo. She felt the fierceness of love, how it wouldn’t let go, no matter what. Mimi promised Amelia that she would bring some cottonwood stars on the next visit, to remind her of the ranch. Amelia breathed her sweet apple breath, gazing at her friend, and her eyes rested with love.

Amelia was a real 1,400 pound bison who loved being with people. For 19 years she enjoyed having her back rubbed, accompanying her human friends for walks, and, of course, sharing apples.

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ernie montoya

‘Blow, Blow, thou winter wind…’

By D e nnis J. Ca r r oll

Even as the temperate, color-draped autumn slowly — or on occasion, abruptly — gives way to the sometimes harsh slap of winter, Robert Gonzales and his Rail Runner Express crews are preparing the tracks, platforms and the trains themselves for both the cold and the icy precipitation winter carries with her.

“The rail is a living thing,” said Gonzales, operations manager for the New Mexico Rail Runner. And by that he means it “breathes” — contracting or expanding with changing weather conditions such heat, rain, cold and snow.

If the living rails are not closely monitored and temperature and precipitation adjustments made, especially during winter months, all that inhaling and exhaling of steel would wreak havoc with train schedules and passenger safety.

“The worse thing you can have is frozen switches where you can’t run trains,” Gonzales said. Among other problems freezing temperatures and moisture can create is the inability of trains to move from the main track to the sidings at station platforms and to maintenance bays in the Albuquerque central railyard.

Critical linchpins of the Rail Runner’s winter operations are the Waiting for the Snow, Angie Casias

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Rail RunneR cRews aRe Ready foR eveRything the season can thRow at them moisture and temperature sensors and heaters that monitor the switches and automatically blow heat onto them if temperatures dip below freezing or if cold rain, sleet or snow begin to cover the switches, freezing them, Gonzales said.

Maintenance crews ride the trains year-round, of course, on the lookout for cracked bolts, broken gates and bonds, and “a whole array of stuff,” but in winter their attention is also directed at the sensors and the switch heaters, Gonzales said. The heaters are “just like the torpedo-looking heaters you see blowing hot air on football players during games.”

If maintenance crews think the heaters should be turned on when they haven’t kicked on automatically, they can be started manually from the dispatch center in Albuquerque. “Push a button [and] it turns on like a window defroster,” he said.

During and after snowstorms, the state Department of Transportation generally oversees clearing the snow from the tracks as they plow nearby roads, and if time allows, from the stations’ parking lots, Gonzalez said. In Santa Fe, the city is responsible for clearing snow at the depot.

“Back East, this snow clearing thing would be a no-brainer,” Gonzales said. “Here we have to think about it a little more.”

Inclement weather seldom affects the diesel engines, any more than it would the much smaller motors on big-rig trucks, Gonzales said. If the tracks get slippery, equipment in front of the engine’s wheels shoot sand onto the tracks ahead of them to create friction between the rail and the wheels, especially when going up hill.

Also in the winter, on-board train crews, especially those on early-morning trains, spread Ice Melt salt rock on station platforms and walkways to, well, melt the ice. They also mop up water that passengers slosh into the cars to avoid having people slipping around.

The cars themselves are kept at a balmy 72 degrees year round, so no adjustments need to be made during the winter runs, Gonzales said.

Warmer feet on the way in Santa Fe Underway at the Santa Fe Depot station is a two-phase project to install underground radiant heating of the platform as part of the renovations at the station — although the new heated platform is not expected to be completed until spring of next year.

Richard Czoski, executive director of the Santa Fe Railyard

Community Corp — a nonprofit that manages all Railyard projects for the city — said all the 100-year-old bricks that make up the platform have been unearthed as part of the work to install radiant heat beneath the platform.

“The old brick was becoming a tripping hazard, and there were considerable drainage problems,” Czoski said. “Not much had been done in more than 100 years, so you get a few problems,” including water seeping into the track bed.

About 90 percent of the old bricks, originally put down in 1909, have been relaid in the same pattern in sand over an eightinch-thick concrete slab into which 10,000 feet of pipe have been embedded. The pipes will carry the glycol-based fluid, similar to antifreeze used in motor vehicles, to heat the platform above.

Czoski said the first phase of the $350,000 project has been completed. The city still needs to approve $75,000 to $100,000 for two gas-fired boilers and the pumps in the basement of the depot.

The temperature sensor system is in place.

Many ways to stay in touch New Mexico Rail Runner spokesman Jay Faught said communication with passengers is another critical aspect of winter operations, especially regarding weather-related delays.

“Right now the best way to get information is to sign up for special text alerts through the train’s website, www.nmrailrunner. com,” Faught said. Passengers can indicate which trains they want to be notified about. “Wherever you are, you can get that message.”

Train or shuttle bus delays of more than 10 minutes are also posted on the Rail Runner’s Facebook page.

In the works is a new web page (scheduled to go live in January) that will post major delays on its home page. Plans are also afoot to add a Twitter feed and a Smartphone app with “push notifications” that will let passengers sign up to receive information concerning specific trains. The app will be accessible via iPhones, Android and iPad platforms, Faught said.

Each train car currently has two TV monitors that post information and alerts about delays.

Gonzales agreed that communication with passengers is vital to winter operations. “The worst thing we can do is have uninformed people,” he said, “because then we get 9,000 calls to the customer service desk, and there are only two people there.”

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Two exhibits, one shared spirit closing december 30

Special thanks to Saint John’s Abbey and University, Collegeville, MN; New Mexico Humanities Council; Scanlan Family Foundation; MNM Foundation

THE RAILYARD S

E AN T A F

S AN TA F E ’ S NE W P L AC E TO ME E T The Railyard is where Santa Fe comes to meet friends and neighbors, shop at New Mexico’s largest farmers’ market and other unique stores, have a great meal, see thought-provoking art, experience live performances, or just relax and PL AY. WWW.R AILYARD SANTAF E .COM Photo credit: Jennifer Esperanza

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Georgia O’Keeffe, Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II, 1930. Oil on canvas, 24 1/4 x 36 1/4 in. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of The Burnett Foundation. © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

2 1 7 J O H N S O N S T r e e T, S a N T a f e , N M • 5 O 5 . 9 4 6 . 1 O O O • O K M U S e U M . O r G O P e N D a I LY 1 O a M – 5 P M • O P e N L a T e , U N T I L 7 P M , f r I D aY e V e N I N G S L a S T W e D N e S D aY O f e a c H M O N T H O P e N N O O N — 5 P M , U N T I L M aY 1 , 2 O 1 3