54-637: Los Lunas is a village in Valencia County , New Mexico , United States. As of the 2020 census , the village has a population of 17,242. It is the county seat of Valencia County. Los Lunas is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area . The original land grant was made to Don Adrian Luna Candelaria in 1716, but within two years it was given to the Luna family. Some Civil War battles were fought near
108-462: A cold semi-arid climate , abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Los Lunas was 108 °F (42.2 °C) on June 28, 2013, while the coldest temperature recorded was −25 °F (−31.7 °C) on January 7, 1971. Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau: As of the census of 2000, there were 10,034 people, 3,601 households, and 2,689 families residing in
162-427: A family was $ 48,767. Males had a median income of $ 41,511 versus $ 32,584 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,955. About 15.7% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.7% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over. Valencia County has two school districts: Belén Consolidated Schools and Los Lunas Public Schools . Valencia County once held
216-594: A large portion of the operational funds of the Rail Runner. Additional funds also come from bond revenue and money appropriated by the New Mexico State Legislature. The Environmental Assessment for Phase II considered placement of a station between Cerrillos Road and Richards Avenue in the I-25 median; it concluded that there was not yet enough demand, but recommended that it be considered for
270-775: A number of smaller shuttle services serving the Rail Runner: a shuttle to Socorro and through Belen serves the Belen station, Los Lunas Public Transportation serves the Los Lunas station, the Sandoval Easy Express serves the two stations in Bernalillo, the University of New Mexico has a dedicated shuttle connecting its main campus to the Downtown Albuquerque station, a shuttle to Taos serves
324-574: A one-day peak of 6,000 riders. Ridership gradually declined during the weeks of free service. Ridership averaged 2,500 to 3,000 riders per day in August 2006, and 2,100 to 2,500 riders per day in September 2006. In November 2006, free service ended on the line's Sandoval section, and ridership fell to 1,000 passengers per day. When the Los Lunas and Belen stations opened with free service, ridership rose to around 1,800 passengers per day. Free service on
378-552: A seating capacity of 141 passengers, The livery of the New Mexico Rail Runner depicts a stylistic roadrunner on the locomotive and trailing tailfeathers on the coaches. The "door closing" tones resemble the signature “Beep-Beep” of the Warner Bros. Road Runner cartoon character. Trains operate in a push-pull configuration, with the locomotive always facing south. When not in use, the vehicles are stored in
432-414: A slightly different (but similar speed) Phase II route to Santa Fe was 2,954 daily riders. During the first full week of train service between the two cities, more than 33,000 passengers boarded. On the second Saturday of service to Santa Fe, nearly 12,000 people boarded trains between Belen and Santa Fe. Weekend service, which was to be discontinued after the first three weekends of service to Santa Fe,
486-498: A transportation improvement package with the Rail Runner included as one of the bill's projects. Over the next few years, NMDOT and the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) developed a strategy for implementing the rail service. In 2005, a name and a branding scheme was chosen. The name “Rail Runner” is a play on the name of New Mexico's state bird , the roadrunner . The cars and locomotives were received throughout
540-570: Is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe , New Mexico . It is administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and the Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rio Metro), a regional transportation agency, while Herzog Transit Services currently holds the contract for the operation and maintenance of the line & equipment. Phase I of
594-492: Is a program that allows the combination of public school and homeschooling, found on the Daniel Fernandez Elementary Campus. Growth was rapid for Los Lunas in the 1990s and early 2000s, with the enrollment of Los Lunas High School reaching nearly 2,500 students around 2004. In fact, Valencia High School opened in 2006 as a relief valve for that enrollment, but due in part to the recession of
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#1732772778768648-853: Is also served by Interstate 25 in New Mexico , New Mexico State Road 314 , and New Mexico State Road 6 . The village offers a variety of events to go to. Among them are annual events such as: the St. Patrick's Day Balloon Rally; Fourth of July Parade, celebration and fireworks display at Daniel Fernandez Park; and the Holiday Electric Light Parade down Main Street (NM Highway 6). Los Lunas' public schools are operated by Los Lunas Public Schools , which includes three high schools, two middle schools, one intermediate school, and ten elementary schools. Another school entitled Family School
702-404: Is filled with sharp curves, would have required the train to slow to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) in some places, so new tracks were laid to allow travel times comparable to the automobile. The route uses previously existing track from Bernalillo to the base of La Bajada, a hill south of Santa Fe. It then runs on newly built track on a new right-of-way from CP Madrid, for five miles and then in
756-555: Is provided for some events like the New Mexico Wine Festival; connecting bus shuttles run for the Balloon Fiesta . The cost of Rail Runner tickets is distance-based, with six fare zones. The Rail Runner operates on a 96.5-mile (155.3 km) north–south corridor, which parallels Interstate 25 . The southern 74.2 miles (119.4 km) from Belen through Albuquerque to CP Rael (northwest of Los Cerrillos )
810-474: The Amtrak Southwest Chief ). An additional station, Lobo Special Events Platform station , is unused. Most stations have bus connections, including NMDOT Park and Ride shuttles (at Downtown Albuquerque, NM 599, and South Capitol), ABQRide at four stations (including Albuquerque Rapid Transit at Downtown Albuquerque), and Santa Fe Trails at the two Santa Fe stations. There are also
864-450: The high cost of gas , Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced in July that the reduced fares would be extended until the end of 2022. In addition, two round trips would be added on August 1 as part of a revised schedule focused on all-day frequency rather than traditional commuter service. The cost of the Rail Runner system was $ 135 million for the first phase and around $ 250 million for
918-441: The Belen section of the line ended April 1, 2007, and a new zone fare structure went into effect. During the summer of 2007, ridership averaged 2,500 passengers per day. By April 2008, weekly ridership was 9,600. On December 17, 2008, service to Santa Fe started with a three-month period of free service for Santa Fe County residents and three weekends of free service for the whole system. The original 2005 projected ridership for
972-489: The Belen station opened, extending the line to its southern end. In April 2007, two more stations opened: Bernalillo County/International Sunport on the 20th and Downtown Bernalillo on the 27th. On December 17, 2008, the Isleta Pueblo station opened. Phase II, the extension of the line to Santa Fe, opened for service on December 17, 2008. Using the existing Santa Fe Southern Railway track from Lamy to Santa Fe, which
1026-607: The Central New Mexico corridor had been discussed for decades, but it was not until August 2003, when New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced that his administration was going to pursue the implementation of commuter rail service, that a serious effort got underway. Later that same year, grants were given to NMDOT and MRCOG to begin the effort, and the New Mexico State Legislature passed Governor Richardson's Investment Partnership (GRIP),
1080-765: The I-25 median into Santa Fe, at CP Hondo, where it uses an improved Santa Fe Southern Railway track from I-25 to the terminal at the Santa Fe Railyard. Two of the planned stations for the Phase II extension opened on December 17: the South Capitol and the Santa Fe Depot stations. A third station at the NM 599/I-25 interchange in Santa Fe County opened on August 1, 2009. After the opening of
1134-547: The New Mexico Legislature. A federal house resolution was introduced by Congressman Harry Teague in May 2009 to study the concept, but did not get out of committee. On service between Albuquerque and Bernalillo, fares were initially free to attract ridership. On its first day of service, the Rail Runner carried 4,122 passengers. During the initial free period, ridership averaged 4,000 to 4,500 riders per day with
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#17327727787681188-541: The Phase II stations, several more stations opened. Sandia Pueblo station, serving Sandia Pueblo , opened on August 29, 2011. The last planned station in Bernalillo County, the Montaño station, officially opened on April 7, 2014. Kewa Pueblo station, serving Santo Domingo Pueblo , opened on March 22, 2010. It is the first station beyond the original 13 planned stations to reach the construction stage and
1242-442: The Santa Fe Depot and South Capitol stations, and Santa Ana Pueblo , Isleta Pueblo , and Pojoaque Pueblo each operate shuttles connecting their casinos to the nearest Rail Runner station. The Rail Runner power includes nine MotivePower MPI MP36PH-3C diesel-electric locomotives , thirteen Bombardier BiLevel Coaches and nine Bombardier BiLevel Cab cars . Coach cars have a seating capacity of 151 passengers while cab cars have
1296-407: The age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.4% were non-families, and 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.18. The median age was 37.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 42,044 and the median income for
1350-422: The age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.25. In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.1% under
1404-464: The age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 34,099, and the median income for a family was $ 37,157. Males had a median income of $ 30,339 versus $ 23,132 for females. The per capita income for
1458-408: The average family size was 3.16. In the village, the population was spread out, with 31.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males. The median income for a household in the village
1512-592: The city limits. Valencia County, New Mexico Valencia County ( Spanish : Condado de Valencia ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico . As of the 2020 census , the population was 76,205. The county seat is Los Lunas . Valencia County is included in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county was a significant bellwether region that held the longest record for predicting presidential election winners until 2020 . The county, which had been previously larger in area, lost almost 81 percent of its territory on June 19, 1981, upon
1566-418: The cost of the Rail Runner as a contributing factor for the shortfall. Supporters of Rail Runner funding note that roadways and other infrastructure for passenger cars also operate at a deficit, requiring government funding for construction, operation, and maintenance. The capital costs of the Rail Runner project were covered by state and local funds. Funding for operations of the system in its first few years
1620-493: The county was $ 14,747. About 13.5% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 census , there were 76,569 people, 27,500 households, and 19,967 families living in the county. The population density was 71.8 inhabitants per square mile (27.7/km ). There were 30,085 housing units at an average density of 28.2 per square mile (10.9/km ). The racial makeup of
1674-410: The county was 73.2% white, 3.8% American Indian, 1.4% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 17.0% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 58.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 10.9% were German , 6.7% were English , 6.1% were Irish , and 4.2% were American . Of the 27,500 households, 37.1% had children under
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1728-519: The county. The population density was 62 people per square mile (24 people/km ). There were 24,643 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (8.9/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 66.5% White , 1.3% Black or African American , 3.3% Native American , 0.4% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 23.9% from other races , and 4.6% from two or more races. 55.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 22,681 households, out of which 39.6% had children under
1782-480: The creation of Cibola County , which occupies the westernmost portion of Valencia County's former area. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,068 square miles (2,770 km ), of which 1,066 square miles (2,760 km ) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km ) (0.2%) is water. It is the second-smallest county in New Mexico by area. As of the 2000 census , there were 66,152 people, 22,681 households, and 17,350 families living in
1836-470: The future. A station near the Las Soleras development was studied in 2010. An extension northward to Taos was proposed in the state legislature in 2009. An extension south to Las Cruces and El Paso has also been proposed. A memorandum to study the feasibility of such service was introduced in the state legislature in 2009, and was amended to study Las Cruces-El Paso service, but failed to pass in
1890-442: The game-day train service was discontinued and the station abandoned. Ridership continued to increase through 2010, reaching a peak of 1.24 million passengers annually (4,000 on an average weekday). Since then, passenger numbers have continued to decline year-over-year to a low of under 750,000 in 2019. Government analysts blamed the drop in ridership on low gas prices, infrequent service, and long travel times, and recommended that
1944-589: The holder of longest-running presidential bellwether. Before 1952, its record is less reliable; the only other Democratic president it voted for was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 . The county has seen a steady Republican trend in recent elections, with Donald Trump's 2024 performance being the best by a Republican presidential candidate since 1984. 34°43′N 106°48′W / 34.72°N 106.80°W / 34.72; -106.80 New Mexico Rail Runner Express Sources The New Mexico Rail Runner Express ( AAR reporting mark NMRX )
1998-416: The late 2000s, the two schools had a similar enrollment by the end of the decade. The town has been the site of two episodes of Breaking Bad , serving as the home of Tuco Salamanca . Atrisco Heritage Academy HS , Kirtland Air Force Base , and National Museum of Nuclear Science & History are adjacent to but outside of the city limits. Rio Grande HS and Sandia Peak Tramway are near but not in
2052-571: The latest in the Open Compute Project hardware designs, protected from the frequent dust storms that occur in New Mexico, and powered by 100% clean and renewable energy through solar and wind plants. This data center will support 300 new construction jobs and 50 permanent jobs. The data center opened on February 7, 2019. The village is served by the New Mexico Rail Runner Express at Los Lunas station . It
2106-477: The longest active streak of voting for the winner of U.S. presidential elections, breaking for the nationwide winner in every presidential election from 1952 to 2016 . In 2020 , both it and Vigo County, Indiana broke their streaks dating back to the 1950s (since 1956 in Vigo) by selecting Donald Trump over eventual winner Joe Biden , leaving Clallam County, Washington , whose streak extends back to 1980 , as
2160-986: The platform at the Zia Road station, the last of the four planned stations for Phase II, was completed several years in advance of the station's opening in April 2017. Rail Runner service was suspended from March 2020 until March 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . During the suspension, Rio Metro continued to run empty trains along the route in order to maintain readiness of the vehicles and crew. Weekday service resumed March 8, 2021, and full service resumed May 24, 2021. By April 2022, daily ridership had returned to 60% of pre-pandemic levels. To attract new riders, Rio Metro announced it would slash fares by 75%—daily passes priced at $ 2.50 and monthly passes at $ 27.50—from April 18 through July 31. During this period, average ridership increased about 88% to over 1,500 boardings per day. Citing
2214-406: The population. There were 3,601 households, out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and
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2268-434: The right-of-way and have priority over freight trains in the corridor. While the engines are capable of 110 miles per hour (180 km/h), the track limits the maximum speed to 79 miles per hour (127 km/h). The Rail Runner officially went into service on July 14, 2006, serving the Downtown Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, and Sandoval County stations. On December 11, 2006, the Los Lunas station opened, and on February 2, 2007,
2322-433: The second phase. Preliminary estimates indicated that the service would operate at a deficit , requiring up to $ 10 million in government funding annually. In late 2007, the Rail Runner was the subject of more criticism as a transportation funding shortfall left many state road projects stalled. State officials said the rising cost of construction materials and decreased federal support were the cause, but some lawmakers cited
2376-813: The state focus on making the service more competitive with car travel. It was also suggested that service to the Downtown Bernalillo station be reduced or eliminated due to low ridership. Normal weekday service has eleven round trips: four Santa Fe–Belen round trips (one express), four Albuquerque–Belen round trips, and three Santa Fe–Albuquerque round trips. Saturday service has five northbound trips (four Belen–Santa Fe and one Belen–Albuquerque) and six southbound trips (three Santa Fe–Belen, two Albuquerque–Belen, and one Santa Fe–Albuquerque). Sunday service has three northbound trips (all Belen–Santa Fe) and four southbound trips (two Santa Fe–Belen, one Albuquerque–Belen, and one Santa Fe–Albuquerque). Additional service
2430-484: The system, operating on an existing right-of-way from Belen to Bernalillo that NMDOT purchased from BNSF Railway , opened in July 2006. Phase II, the extension of the line to Santa Fe, opened in December 2008. Daily ridership, as of February 2019, was 2,200 trips per day. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 584,400, or about 2,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The concept of passenger rail serving
2484-721: The village has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.0 km), all land. The village lies in the Rio Grande Valley of the Albuquerque Basin on the west bank of the Rio Grande , and is on State Highway 6 , east of Interstate 25 . El Cerro de Los Lunas, a volcano related to the Rio Grande rift , forms a prominent landmark at the western edge of the village. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Los Lunas has
2538-486: The village. Los Lunas became the county seat in 1876 and became an incorporated village in 1928. The Los Lunas Decalogue Stone is located nearby. A United States Army Air Forces bombing range, used by elements of the 509th Bomb Wing out of Kirtland Army Air Field , later Kirtland Air Force Base , was located here during and after World War II. According to the United States Census Bureau ,
2592-448: The village. The population density was 998.8 inhabitants per square mile (385.6/km). There were 3,845 housing units at an average density of 382.7 units per square mile (147.8 units/km). The racial makeup of the village was 64.14% White , 1.16% African American , 2.62% Native American , 0.50% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 27.63% from other races , and 3.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 58.74% of
2646-573: The year of 2005 and groundbreaking for the first Rail Runner station took place on October 31, 2005. During this time the state also conducted negotiations with BNSF over the use of the railroad track. After assessing the needs of the track, the state of New Mexico committed to purchasing the railroad corridor from Belen to the New Mexico-Colorado border from BNSF (although, thus far only the portion between Belen and Lamy, NM has been purchased) , to ensure that commuter trains would always get
2700-553: Was $ 36,240, and the median income for a family was $ 37,255. Males had a median income of $ 30,664 versus $ 22,437 for females. The per capita income for the village was $ 14,692. About 11.6% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over. On September 14, 2016, Facebook announced their plans to open a data center in Los Lunas. The construction would start in October 2016, and it will be equipped with
2754-419: Was built using stimulus funds. On September 12, 2009, a special events platform opened for Lobo games service only. At the end of March in 2014, the Rail Runner added security officers to the system. Officers are charged with protecting the trains, inspecting fares, and addressing issues at the stations and parking lots. They are required to wear and use lapel cameras during incidents. Construction of
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#17327727787682808-565: Was covered largely by federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program funds, along with ticket revenues and some state and local funds. Operational costs were expected to rise from $ 10 million for the first phase to $ 20 million after completion of the second phase. Federal funding for the Rail Runner was expected to stop in 2009. Two separate gross receipts taxes for regional transit were approved by voters in central and north-central New Mexico in November 2008 to cover
2862-935: Was formerly the BNSF Glorieta Subdivision and is shared with BNSF freight trains. The 17.9 miles (28.8 km) from CP Rael to CP Blewett (south of Santa Fe) largely runs in the median of Interstate 25. The northern 4.4 miles (7.1 km) into downtown Santa Fe is shared with the Santa Fe Southern Railway . Rail Runner has 15 active stations: ten in the Albuquerque metro area, two serving Kewa Pueblo and rural areas of Santa Fe County, and three in Santa Fe. All have single side platforms 260 feet (3 cars) to 500 feet long except for South Capitol (which has two side platforms) and Downtown Albuquerque (which has longer island platforms for
2916-431: Was instead partly retained, with permanent Saturday service. Ridership for the first few weeks of Santa Fe service averaged about 5,000 riders per day, then dropped to an average of around 4,000 riders per day for the month of January 2009. For four months in 2009, Rail Runner operated game-day trains to sporting events to Lobo Special Events Platform station . After a cumulative total of 227 passengers made use of Lobo,
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