Re: New Train For New Mexico

There is a lot of conjecture on my part in the posting. The BNSF for many years has been trying to unload the Raton Pass line. The question in my mind is why haven't they gone ahead a done it? Yeah, I know that the last time this question was seriously discussed, Amtrak raised a fuss. But at the same time a trial baloon was raised about rerouting the Southwest Chief through Clovis and Belen. (I won't go into all of the pros and cons on this.)
I suspect that the BNSF wants to keep the Raton Pass line as a safety valve, but they want someone else to foot the bill on the track. The new communter line will help in this respect, but it doesn't protect the Lamy-La Junta portion. That's the portion we need to keep our eyes on now.
CJ