UNLESS BADLY NEEDED TRACK REPAIRS ARE MADE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, AMTRAK'S SOUTHWEST CHIEF COULD CHANGE ITS ROUTE, AND EVEN SKIP ABQ COMPLETELY. MAYOR RICHARD BERRY MET WITH AMTRAK'S C-E-O OVER THE WEEKEND AND WAS TOLD NEW MEXICO NEEDS TO COME UP WITH 4-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO FUND REPAIRS.
BERRY SAYS HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE WHAT NEW MEXICO PUTS TOWARD THAT EFFORT STAYS IN NEW MEXICO AS OPPOSED TO SURROUNDING STATES. HE SAYS OTHER STATES INVOLVED NEED TO CARRY THEIR OWN BURDEN.
BERRY TELLS 770 KKOB THE LOSS OF THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF WOULD COST THE STATE HUNDREDS OF JOBS, AND WOULD HAVE A 30-MILLION DOLLAR ECONOMIC IMPACT ON ABQ ALONE.
