Albuquerque's First Railroad
by Spencer Wilson
The line of the Aitchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railroad from Lamy, NM to Albuquerque, opened for business in April 1880. The railroad company decided on the Albuquerque site after determining that the land for the original site in Bernalillo was far too expensive. So the New Mexico Town Company, a subsidiary of the AT&SF, bought land one mile to the east of the existing town of Albuquerque. They proceeded to lay out a town, platted the land, and sold plots to eager buyers who wanted to be close to the railroad. Thus, "New Albuquerque" was born. Also, on their property, AT&SF proceeded to build the necessary facilities for a railroad center: a depot, rooms for crews, machine shops and, in time, a roundhouse to service locomotives. In a short time the rail yards became a major service facility. It was here that locomotives were replaced by those that had been serviced. As a result of all this activity, "New Albuquerque" grew and prospered.
The line of the Aitchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railroad from Lamy, NM to Albuquerque, opened for business in April 1880. The railroad company decided on the Albuquerque site after determining that the land for the original site in Bernalillo was far too expensive. So the New Mexico Town Company, a subsidiary of the AT&SF, bought land one mile to the east of the existing town of Albuquerque. They proceeded to lay out a town, platted the land, and sold plots to eager buyers who wanted to be close to the railroad. Thus, "New Albuquerque" was born. Also, on their property, AT&SF proceeded to build the necessary facilities for a railroad center: a depot, rooms for crews, machine shops and, in time, a roundhouse to service locomotives. In a short time the rail yards became a major service facility. It was here that locomotives were replaced by those that had been serviced. As a result of all this activity, "New Albuquerque" grew and prospered.
Albuquerque's earlier wood railroad station