Last week I spent four days in Albuquerque. Whilst I was there I rode the New Mexico Rail Runner Express (RRE) from Albuquerque to Santa Fe and back, as well as from Albuquerque to Belen and back. It is an efficient and effective operation.
The equipment is fairly standard. The locomotives are Motive Power 36PH-3C's, and the bi-level cars are from Bombardier. The interior of the cars are bright and cheerful. The seats are covered with a bright red and yellow fabric that helps give them a Southwest ambiance. The ceilings appear to be a brushed gray, which complements the red and yellow seats. One drawback is the seating arrangements. They face each other. If a long legged person is sitting opposite a passenger, which happens frequently on the most heavily patronized trains, his knees are likely to bump or intertwine with the other person's. This makes for an uncomfortable ride.
Passengers must buy their tickets on-line (discounted) or on the train. RRE does not have any ticket machines or ticket offices. Each train has two ticket agents who are easily identified by their yellow vests. They accept cash or credit cards except American Express. They record the purchase transaction and give the passenger a receipt, which serves as a ticket. RRE appears to have saved money by avoiding the cost of buying and servicing ticket machines.
The trains are operated in a push mode northbound and a pull mode southbound. This means that the road runner, which is painted on the sides of the locomotives and cars, is running backwards half the time. On the northbound train one can get an engineer's view of the track by sitting in the first seat on the left hand side of the cab car. It is not exactly an engineer's view, since he or she sits on the right hand side of the car, but it is the next best thing.
In Santa Fe the RRE trains use the Santa Fe Depot. It is about a half mile walk from there to the city square, which is dotted with a variety of tourist attractions. In Albuquerque the trains use the north end of a platform that serves the RRE and Amtrak, which by the way is a good spot to watch the arrival and departure of Amtrak trains 3 and 4. The Alvarado Transportation Center is located next to the railroad platforms, which make transfers to and from ABQ Ride buses convenient.
ABQ Ride has two Rapid Bus Technology (RBT) routes. I used the 766 route to get to the University of New Mexico and Uptown, which is a shopping and entertainment district. The buses are frequent, quick, and comfortable. They demonstrated that RBT is clearly the best public transport fit in many locations.
Sam,
Thanks for a good report,this is useful info..I plan a trip out there next month and was planning to ride the RRE...Did you buy your ticket on line or onboard?
videomaker Sam, Thanks for a good report,this is useful info..I plan a trip out there next month and was planning to ride the RRE...Did you buy your ticket on line or onboard?
I bought my tickets on the train. I got a senior discount that is as good as the regular on-line discount. When I go again, I will buy my tickets on-line before leaving the house.
For more information about the RRE and ABQRide, Google them. There sites are very informative. You can get the information at home, before you go, so that you know the options that are available to you on arrival.
If you are planning to fly to Albuquerque, keep in mind that you can get from the airport to downtown or a direct connection with the RRE via an ABQ Ride bus. Route 50 takes you to the heart of the city; I stayed at a downtown hotel. The fare into the city for a senior is 35 cents; otherwise, I believe it is a dollar. A shuttle from the airport to the center of the city is $11.00, whilst a cab ride will cost around $25.
Because of the excellent public transport in Albuquerque, I was able to get around without a rental car. I saved a bundle.
You mentioned "rapid bus technology." Was there anything special about the buses? Possibly they were articulated, but what about 100% low-floor using the wheel motor concept and thus no differential or drive shaft or any mechniacal transmission? Guided technology? Busways or other exclusive lanes? Anything special about the stations such as "next bus arrives at..." signs?
The ABQ Ride RBT buses are articulated low floor vehicles. I think the rear seat of the second unit is on a raised platform, but I cannot be sure. I did not pay that close attention. The engine is in the rear of the vehicle. As far as I noticed, the buses appeared to be powered the same way the articulated buses in Dallas were powered; that is to say via a mechanical drive train.
There are two rapid routes. The 766 runs across the city on old U.S. Route 66, and the 790 runs from the western part of the city to the University of New Mexico campus. During the weekday the 766 runs every 11 minutes, so if you miss one the wait for the next bus is minimal.
I rode the buses from one end to the other of the rapid route during the weekday. They were well patronized. The fare, by the way, is 35 cent for seniors as well as other discount riders. It is a dollar for others.
The stations are clearly marked as Rapid Ride stops. Most of them are covered, with bench seating for wanna be passengers. They are lighted during the early morning and late evening hours. Easy to read signs tell waiting passengers when the next bus will arrive. In those instances when I caught the bus at the U of New Mexico, the bus arrived just when the indicator said that it would.
Part of Route 66 has been stripped to give the rapid buses a dedicated lane, but other vehicles may use them if they are turning right. One of the drivers told me that the buses can control a lane change light at one or two points along the route, but they cannot change or delay a changing traffic light. He told me that management is hopeful of getting that capability with the next go around of technology. The ABQ drivers that I talked to were friendly and helpful.
Installing RBT costs a fraction of what it costs to implement light and commuter rail. In many if not most instances, especially where rail rights-of-way do not exist, RBT is probably a better option. It is clearly a better cost decision except in the minds of those who think cost is irrelevant.
I experienced two downers whilst using public transit in Albuquerque. At the Uptown location several youths boarded the bus. They managed to use every four letter word imaginable in the loudest possible voices before they got off the bus about three stops later. On another bus, a passenger brought a soda on the bus. When he opened it, it sprayed over two or three other passengers. Fortunately, I did not get the shower. The drivers did nothing about the foul mouthed youths or opening a soda can on the bus, which is prohibited. However, on another occasion, the drive prohibited a young man from getting on the bus with an open container.
I also noticed that the ABQ Ride would be operating no buses on Memorial Day. That makes for a difficult situation for those people who depend on public transit to get around. But the RRE, which does normally operate on Sundays and holidays, was scheduled to operate on Sunday and Memorial Day. Go figure!
Great reports, Sam! Really well done. - a.s.
Before we go head over heals in love with simple upgraded bus technology, I would point out that OPERATING COSTS PER PASSENGER of a modern light rail line are considerably less, about half, those of articulated buses, despite the maintenance of the overhead and track! But very heavy usage, about 20,000 per day or more, is required for the savings to wipe out the interest charges on the differences in construciton costs. So obviously both have a place.
Re: RailRunner's motive power.
I was just wondering if the supply and price of biodiesel fuel for the trains is about what was forecast?
daveklepper Before we go head over heals in love with simple upgraded bus technology, I would point out that OPERATING COSTS PER PASSENGER of a modern light rail line are considerably less, about half, those of articulated buses, despite the maintenance of the overhead and track! But very heavy usage, about 20,000 per day or more, is required for the savings to wipe out the interest charges on the differences in construciton costs. So obviously both have a place.
The USDOT, Transit Administration, RBT homepage, first paragraph, has this topical sentence: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems provide a higher quality of service than traditional bus lines at a lower cost than rail systems. Clearly, the costs will vary from location to location and depend largely on whether an existing railway right-of-way can be used. At the end of the day, it is not just the operating cost that must be considered; it is the total cost.
Austin is about to launch a commuter rail line. The estimated cost to develop it is between $2.8 and $4.4 million per mile. In addition, there is a proposal before the City Council to build a light rail line from the airport to downtown and on to the university area. The estimated cost is $47 million per mile. Lastly, Austin plans to launch two RBT routes in 2011 or 2012. It has received an initial grant from the USDOT. The estimated cost for the route and equipment is approximately $3 to $5 million per mile, depending on the amount of ITS deployed, although the numbers for the RBT are not as solid as those for the rail routes.
One of the things that I liked about the RBT that I experienced in Albuquerque was the frequency of service. The buses run most of the day on an 11 minute interval. By comparison, the DART Red Line in Dallas, whilst running on a 10 minute interval during the heaviest rush hour periods, runs on 20+ minute intervals during non-rush hour periods.
As you say, in some instances light rail is a better fit; in others RBT may be a better fit. According to the USDOT, it is getting a lot more attention.
I take it the cost of the RBT is lower because you already have your infrastructure in place..If thats the case,then unless you run on someone elses tracks they will have infrastructucture cost for ever RR line they build..But once that is is in place the only capital cost would be the train replacments and mantnce? That can be ammortized over several yrs...It will always be cheaper to run a bus vs a train anyway,but that would not solve the pollution problem or the traffic gridlock that we're headed for if we dont get more trains going now.........
Santa Fe does not have a "city square". It has a Plaza, quite similar in design to a fortified Spanish plaza, and in fact, when it was established, around 1610, it was a "presidio" or fort, which evolved into today's Plaza.
John Liebson Santa Fe does not have a "city square". It has a Plaza, quite similar in design to a fortified Spanish plaza, and in fact, when it was established, around 1610, it was a "presidio" or fort, which evolved into today's Plaza.
Your clarification has been noted. The key point that I was making is that the Rail Runner Express is an efficient and effective way to get from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. I suspect asking for the Plaza, city center, or city square will get most travelers the directions they need to get to the Plaza.
Sam1Your clarification has been noted. The key point that I was making is that the Rail Runner Express is an efficient and effective way to get from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. I suspect asking for the Plaza, city center, or city square will get most travelers the directions they need to get to the Plaza.
I understood what you were expressing; I, in turn, was correcting an historical error: The state of New Mexico is barely recognized as being part of the United States by an incredible number of residents of the other forty-nine, and the history of Santa Fe is even less well-known. After all, Santa Fe, NM, has only being in existence since around 1609, hardly time enough for Americans to learn any of its history.
Not to belabor the point, but if you were to ask a Santa Fe resident how to get to the "city square," you would likely not get directions, but, rather, a blank stare, as that expression is unknown here. (Unless, that is, you would be told that they had not seen the "city square" since last night, but that he might be found wandering about somewhere...).
As for asking about the "city center," well, Santa Feans don't regard Santa Fe as a city, nor do they have any idea where its center might be if it nor if it even has one.
All that aside, "efficiency" is definitely not something permitted around here!
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