Amtrak's Southwest Chief in New Mexico

Amtrak's Southwest Chief in New Mexico - Trackside Pictures

Northern New Mexico Amtrak Railfanning

The following photos, and others that haven't been scanned, were taken on Sept. 2, Sept. 7, Oct. 4 and Oct. 27, 2003, in northern New Mexico areas of Raton, N.M., Las Vegas, N.M., Lamy, N.M., Glorieta, N.M., and Wagon Mound, N.M., as well as western New Mexico areas of Gallup and Grants.
The photos are of Amtrak's Southwest Chief, westbound No. 3 and eastbound, No. 4.

The photographer, who has traveled more than 30,000 miles on Amtrak passenger trains, loves taking and photographing trains, primarily from the train's windows. The photos obtained on this trip, which was a business trip, are all trackside.

The photographer thought he was in near-heaven, especially with the California Zephyr shots, which allowed for many trackside photographs on one day-trip. In the Midwest, where the photographer hails from, given Amtrak's 70-90 mile per hour speeds, photo opportunities are generally one per day. In New Mexico and Colorado, however, photographers can reap many more photographs. Be sure to bring plenty of film.

Raton is easy to shoot, given that all shots presented here were shot from overlooks along Interstate 25. All other trackside shots were relatively easy to shoot; a few required crossing barbed wire fences (Apache Canyon, S-curves) or obtaining landowners' permission (west of Wagon Mound).

In this region of the trackage, especially through Raton Pass and north of Lamy in the Apache Canyon and Glorieta areas, train speeds are restricted, allowing a personal automobile to travel sufficiently ahead of the train, to capture numerous photos, at several locations.

To main Southwest Chief pic page - includes shots from the train, as well as in the 7 other states the crack passenger train serves.

Click on individual photos to enlarge.

Raton Pass area