Santa Fe’s Raton Route

Producer: Bill Brown

Locations: Raton Pass, Glorieta Pass, Las Vegas, NM.

Timeframe: 1989- 1991

Length: 112 minutes

Source: Dave Gross

WB Video with a Santa Fe Raton Pass area show.

A single DVD-R. No Chapter menu. Hidden chapter breaks for access. Map is referenced with the Chapter changes. Narration by Rege Cordic.

Picture looks really good. Not modern of course. Excellent for the time. Live environmental audio. Bit of music on Chapter breaks.

Videography is great. Pro level. Colors look fine. Everything is slightly soft on an HDTV.

Amtrak tour begins the show. The Southwest Limited. Train designation is #3. Starts in Colorado. Most efficient method to cover this line. It crosses the territory quickly.

Amtrak 3. The Southwest Limited is held to 20 mph in a Canyon. Raised to 80 mph at Wagon Mound, New Mexico. So, the speed limits vary widely.

Amtrak #3 travels into Las Vegas, New Mexico. The Casteneda Hotel built 1896.

Gloriana Pass is a scenic location . Curving route and bridges. Amtrak’s Southwest Limited is speed restricted through here.

Lamy Station and end of the Amtrak tour.

La Junta Colorado is East end of Raton sub. Kodachrome SD39 1568 with slug 1139. Burlington Northern Grain Extra is going to the Colorado Joint Line.

Western portal of Raton Tunnel. Santa Fe Piggyback Q Trains are the hotshots.

Las Vegas and Glorietta subs

9513 on 8 unit lash-up. Many Kodachrome locomotives here. Train 804 departs Las Vegas, NM.

Train 448 is a Manifest with midtrain helpers.

Apache Canyon and Spider Bridge. Train is EPKC. El Paso to Kansas City Q train.

Santa Fe, New Mexico. A Branchline that has a connection at Lamy, NM.

Kansas City- El Paso Q Trains

SD45-2u 5812 is on the point. Passes the Springer depot with a Q for Quality piggyback.

Los Angeles CA- La Junta CO trains

Serious 4% mountain grade action at Raton Pass. Doubling the Hill is a common practice here.

Santa Fe Train 804 has stopped for a rolling Amtrak 3. Southwest Limited at La Loma, New Mexico.

War Bonnets

FP45 101 leads a KC-EP at Kyoto, NM.

Coal Trains

The Cochise. A regular Unit Coal to Arizona is featured.

In depth coverage of a Santa Fe Coal Train. Colorado and Wyoming. Allen Mine Branch.

Closeout with a beautiful business car. Santa Fe #50.

Santa Fe’s Raton Route

A fine assortment of Santa Fe locomotives. Kodachrome paint throughout.

Amtrak fans shall find a good amount of action. Particularly on the opening chapter.

A fine program. WB has been hit or miss on DVD quality. This WB Video release is excellent.

Rating: 5 Stars