UNLESS NEEDED TRACK REPAIRS ARE MADE, AMTRAK SERVICE IN NEW MEXICO COULD TAKE A BIG HIT. JON MESSIER WITH THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF COALITION SAYS NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE MONEY TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS WOULD COME FROM.
HE SAYS THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF IS A CRUCIAL TRANSPORTATION LINK IN NEW MEXICO. HE SAYS IT'S ONE OF AMTRAK'S MOST HEAVILY USED TRAINS. MESSIER SAYS IT CARRIES 380 THOUSAND PASSENGERS A YEAR … 79 THOUSAND OF WHICH ARE FROM ALBUQUERQUE.
MESSIER SAYS NEW MEXICO, KANSAS AND COLORADO ARE BEING ASKED TO HELP FUND THE TRACK REPAIR…BUT THE STATES SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. IF NOTHING IS DONE, MESSIER SAYS THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF COULD END UP BYPASSING ALBUQUERQUE ALTOGETHER.
