Santa Fe Train Station

Today, Linda, Ann (Linda’s friend), and I drove up from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to take the Santa Fe Southern Railroad through the desert to the small town of Lamy. Photo: Our colorful train and the Santa Fe station.

Santa Fe Train Station

Santa Fe Train Station

That’s my sister Linda and Ann in the photo––Linda is camera shy. Ann is married to Bobby Vaughn whose sister is Diane Vaughn. Some of you may remember either Bobby or Diane as they both grew up in Northport (my hometown). Bobby and Ann live near Albuquerque and are friends of Linda and Rich.

Santa Fe Train Station

Santa Fe Train

Part of our vintage train. Today, the train consisted of two passenger cars, one with a bar, an engine, a caboose, and a flat car with rails that you could stand out on.

Santa Fe Train

Santa Fe Train

Inside one of the cars.

Santa Fe Train

Santa Fe Train

One of the train’s conductors. I think his name was Pat.

Santa Fe Train

Santa Fe Train

You could stand in the rail car between the two coach cars if you wanted to take good photos. I did and was about the only one who did on the way to Lamy. It was exceptionally cold in Santa Fe this day, the coldest day in May in many peoples’ memory. I wrapped a scarf about my head and neck to try to keep warm.

Santa Fe Train

On Our Way to Lamy

On our way to Lamy––crossing an intersection in Santa Fe. Lamy is only 18.1 miles southeast of Santa Fe, but at 25 mph at our top speed, it would take us 1 1/4 hours to arrive there.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

A Santa Fe–style apartment house that we passed.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

New Mexico rocks for sale.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Desert terrain.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Front of the train crossing a trestle.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Looking backward while crossing the trestle.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Also looking backward at the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

We passed many beautiful Southwestern–style desert houses.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Another one.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

We didn’t expect to see this llama in the desert.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Desert scene.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Another desert house.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

A painted tree. There were numerous burned trees in this area, obvious signs of a previous wildfire.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Desert home.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

There’s Pat going to check on his passengers.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

A desert ranch.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

I blew up part of the last photo to show this horse with its colt.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Seeing this house in the desert was the most surprising sight of all.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Closer–up of the limestone house. Some people call it the Flintstone House. We were told that an artist had designed this house for herself to live in.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

And still closer–up.

On Our Way to Lamy

On Our Way to Lamy

Almost at Lamy.

On Our Way to Lamy

Lamy

We have arrived. Lamy, population about 140, is named after the first archbishop of Santa Fe: Jean Baptiste Lamy. The Lamy depot was built in 1880.

Lamy

Lamy

Inside the depot. Amtrak stops in Lamy and then continues onto Albuquerque. A shuttle meets the train to take people to Santa Fe.

Lamy

Lamy

A caterer met our train. We had a choice of barbecue beef, teriyaki chicken, or chili dogs. I had the chicken––not very good. Linda had the barbecue beef, which she liked. Ann skipped lunch. We ate lunch at one of these picnic tables––very nice atmosphere.

Lamy

Lamy

A Victorian house across the tracks and the park.

Lamy

Lamy

Buildings on the other side of the tracks––one a restaurant, not open, and one a museum, also not open.

Lamy

Lamy

An old church in Lamy, no longer in use.

Lamy

Lamy

The front of the old church.

Lamy

Lamy

All the church’s windows are covered in wood, with these two windows decorated.

Lamy

Lamy

An artist has wire sculptures for sale next to the church.

Lamy

Lamy

One of the few houses in Lemy.

Lamy

Lamy

This bear up on the hill did get our attention.

Lamy

Lamy

But we could easily tell that it wasn’t a real bear.

Lamy

Lamy

Going back to Santa Fe. The weather has warmed up and more people were viewing the desert from the rail car. It was a good trip which we all enjoyed.

Lamy