969:
854:
deliver the mail and barrels of potable water from
Antonito and San Antonio creeks for sale in localities with severe water shortages. When engineers would pass by towns and blow their whistles, women would bring laundry baskets and collect hot water to do laundry. Brakemen would deliver newspapers from Alamosa to the various stops free of charge by tossing them from the moving trains. One engineer reportedly would deliver a bone daily from an Alamosa butcher shop to Taos Junction for a "loyal newspaper delivery dog ('Minnie')".
351:
572:
358:
205:
786:
552:
530:
508:
486:
464:
442:
420:
400:
380:
331:
309:
287:
267:
247:
227:
650:(AT&SF). The Texas, Santa Fe and Northern Railroad was incorporated to complete the line, and the line between EspaƱola and Santa Fe opened in 1886 and was transferred to the Denver and Rio Grande shortly thereafter. The D&RGW closed the Chili Line in 1941 because of competition from road transportation, and the line was abandoned shortly thereafter.
960:. In 1890 a trip from Santa Fe to Antonito was scheduled to take eight hours. In 1941 the same trip on train 426 took seven hours and fifteen minutes, an average speed of 17.3 miles per hour (27.8 km/h), nevertheless the trip to Denver was easily much quicker though longer by way of the AT&SF.
853:
The socio-economic impact of the Chile Line was important to the farmers and residents of
Northern New Mexico. For generations the primary mode of production was subsistence farming. The introduction of the railway meant that farmers could now transport their goods to market much faster. Trains would
726:
festered. The conflict eventually resulted in the D&RG shifting its attention to lucrative mining opportunities to the west. Palmer's "dream of a road to Mexico City finally went glimmering" but the line along the Rio Grande became the exotic southern extent of the D&RGW's famous network in
984:
and entering the line's servicing facilities near the original depot. The railroad then crossed another trestle as it meandered through Santa Fe. The tracks then followed the right-of-way of Rio Grande
Boulevard to a crest above the northwestern part of the city. A 22-mile (35 km) two percent
758:, where service began on New Year's Eve 1880, for ten years. To fill the approximately 35-mile (56 km) gap the Texas, Santa Fe and Northern Railroad (TSF&N) was formed. The long-term plans of the TSF&N called for the construction of a 1,258-mile (2,025 km) railroad spanning from
770:. Work on the link to Santa Fe was stalled for several years because of money problems and the line further south was not built. With new management in place construction resumed in earnest in October 1886 and by January 1887 the narrow gauge tracks from Santa Fe to EspaƱola were complete. An
833:
to its system, but surveys indicated that such a connection was not feasible. Instead the name of a station 20 miles (32 km) from Taos was restyled Taos
Junction in 1915. The line struggled to turn a profit; road transportation began to outcompete the train, and the quality of the timber
1009:. Today's Old Buckman Road roughly traces this part of the Chili Line and remnants of its grade are still visible. From Buckman, the line closely follows the easy grades of the Rio Grande north towards Embudo, through an iron truss bridge crossing the river at
754:(as a branch of its main line) in February 1880. In March the AT&SF and the D&RG publicly signed a restrictive territorial agreement that prevented the southward expansion of the D&RG beyond
850:. Despite some local outcry and national media attention the railway was completely dismantled in 1942. As of 2017, the majority of the Chili Line's former right of way is still relatively intact.
829:. The new station replaced an older one on the north side of the Santa Fe River next to the D&RG's terminal facilities. The D&RG was interested, along with others, in connecting
941:
carried livestock, wool, fruit, chili, beans, sugar, flour, manufactured goods, timber coal, petroleum products, cement, minerals and ores. Heavier rail was laid in 1928 so
821:
north of the depot at EspaƱola and immediately south of the Chili Line's Rio Chama trestle, however, no track was ever laid beyond the wye. In 1903 the D&RG and the
902:, and also at the line's northern terminal. The original terminal facilities in Santa Fe included a three-stall engine house and a coal shed on the tail of a
1382:
1377:
1108:
1331:
810:
1367:
956:
typically operated providing connections at
Alamosa to an overnight standard gauge train to and from Denver. A meal stop was often scheduled at
906:
opposite a two-story island depot. These facilities were later replaced by infrastructure capable of tendering petroleum-fueled engines and a
1079:
658:
The Chili Line was officially known as the Santa Fe Branch. Its nickname has been attributed to its freight, which prominently featured
798:
647:
631:
80:
642:. The Denver and Rio Grande Railway (D&RG) began construction of the line in 1880 and completed the line from Antonito to
1372:
694:
for much of the distance. As early as 1878 it was reasoned that such a route would not be possible, but Palmer did receive a
826:
161:
1204:
842:
in
September 1941. The DR&GW proposed reusing some of the line's infrastructure for use on a railroad along the
910:. Operations of the line were often described as adventurous. The branch served remote areas such as the stop at
972:
The Santa Fe Branch connected with the D&RG's system at
Antonito. Santa Fe is at bottom right-center of map.
766:. The company proposed to first connect EspaƱola to the territorial capital and then south to coal fields near
1014:
835:
866:; Palmer had reasoned that the smaller-scale railroads were advantageous in mountainous areas. There was some
1241:
671:
743:. By 1880 narrow gauge tracks were in place as far south as Antonito and the construction of a line towards
179:
981:
699:
774:
between the two cities on
January 9, 1887 was attended by 200 people. The TSF&N was absorbed by the
1339:
899:
822:
775:
24:
1196:
317:
154:
1089:
801:
for use by the
Hallack & Howard Lumber Company for finished lumber products. A line along the
1021:
to
Barranca where alternating but steady 1% grades led the line away from the Rio Grande towards
1010:
919:
915:
744:
703:
516:
918:'s link to the outside world until 1921; a stop near a new road bridge across the Rio Grande at
793:
Only a few branches were constructed along the Chili Line. During the 1880s and 1890s two short
755:
643:
494:
968:
923:
797:
spurs were built, one from No Agua to Stewart Junction, and another west from Taos Junction to
814:
942:
695:
1017:
and EspaƱola. From Embudo the line began its most steep (4%) and twisting climb through the
1335:
751:
639:
580:
62:
8:
990:
911:
839:
806:
698:
in September 1880 from the Mexican government to build a different north-south line, the
617:
538:
472:
450:
295:
147:
126:
1221:
1022:
957:
767:
635:
428:
213:
57:
1200:
871:
736:
719:
675:
1273:
1116:
1018:
1002:
830:
659:
1084:
1006:
771:
740:
728:
1278:
977:
875:
847:
1361:
907:
723:
994:
863:
732:
715:
679:
627:
1298:
953:
949:
687:
121:
998:
903:
867:
843:
818:
707:
691:
20:
802:
986:
785:
711:
646:, but could not build any further because of an agreement with the
722:, the D&RG had to look for alternative routes to the south as
16:
Narrow-gauge branch of the Denver and Rio Grand Western Railroad
838:
approved DRG&W's abandonment in 1941. The line closed amid
834:
shipments was low. The railroad continued to operate until the
794:
683:
945:
938:
934:
930:
759:
731:. Prior to the conflict, the D&RG had built tracks over
948:
could replace the older locomotives and eliminate need for
763:
19:"Santa Fe Branch" redirects here. For heritage railway in
1047:"Trinidad, Del Norte, Santa Fe and Silverton Branches".
937:
in the early 1900s. Freight trains pulled by class C-19
825:
opened Santa Fe Union Station on a site adjacent to the
813:
was under construction, with a railbed built as far as
976:
Just north of Santa Fe's Union Station the line began
778:
in 1889 and by 1895 was a unit of the D&RG as the
1109:"Last Train Chugs Over Picturesque Colorado Railroad"
634:(D&RGW). It ran 125.6 miles (202.1 km) from
980:
Guadalupe Street before crossing a trestle over the
1271:Lah, Robert (1994). "The Rio Grande's Chili Line".
678:projected a 2,400-mile (3,900 km) north-south
1292:
1290:
1288:
1359:
140:
1285:
1235:
1233:
874:where the railroad shared a station with the
155:
1193:New Mexico's Railroads: a historical survey
1042:
1040:
1038:
1230:
662:, and to the gastronomy of its patrons.
162:
148:
1383:Closed railway lines in the United States
1186:
1184:
1182:
1180:
1178:
1176:
1174:
1172:
1170:
1168:
1166:
1164:
1162:
1160:
1158:
1156:
1154:
1378:3 ft gauge railways in the United States
1329:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1146:
1144:
1142:
1140:
1138:
1136:
1134:
1049:Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Timetable
1035:
967:
784:
1226:. Boston: Stratford. pp. 123, 133.
1051:. Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. 1890.
922:served this purpose when a new road to
1368:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
1360:
1325:
1323:
1321:
1319:
1266:
1264:
1262:
1219:
1190:
1074:
1072:
1070:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1062:
1060:
1058:
648:Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad
632:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
81:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
1332:"Cruising the Buckman/La Tierra area"
1239:
1131:
789:Old water tower at the Embudo Station
1103:
1101:
1099:
1088:. September 15, 1941. Archived from
963:
702:. Initially planning to access the
1330:Weideman, Paul (December 1, 2007).
1316:
1270:
1259:
1055:
862:The railroad was almost completely
13:
1296:
1240:Bowen, Eric H (February 8, 2009).
14:
1394:
1096:
350:
997:where a road bridge crossed the
929:Passenger trains were pulled by
780:Rio Grande and Santa Fe Railroad
720:east-west transcontinental route
718:for the construction of its own
670:The original ambitious plans of
570:
550:
528:
506:
484:
462:
440:
418:
398:
378:
356:
349:
329:
307:
285:
265:
245:
225:
203:
1299:"History, The Chili Line Depot"
1119:. September 2, 1941. p. 10
571:
357:
204:
1213:
836:Interstate Commerce Commission
116:125.6 mi (202.13 km)
1:
1028:
933:until replaced by class T-12
857:
672:Denver and Rio Grande Railway
551:
529:
507:
485:
463:
441:
419:
399:
379:
330:
308:
286:
266:
246:
226:
1373:Railway lines closed in 1941
1220:Powell, Fred Wilbur (1921).
690:following the course of the
7:
1115:. St. Petersburg, Florida:
700:National Railroad of Mexico
10:
1399:
1001:, providing access to the
900:New Mexico Central Railway
823:New Mexico Central Railway
724:its conflict with the ATSF
665:
612:, officially known as the
18:
952:. In later years a daily
817:. This line started at a
776:Santa Fe Southern Railway
579:
564:
559:
544:
537:
522:
515:
500:
493:
478:
471:
456:
449:
434:
427:
412:
407:
392:
387:
372:
365:
343:
338:
323:
316:
301:
294:
279:
274:
259:
254:
239:
234:
219:
212:
197:
120:
112:
107:
99:
91:
86:
76:
71:
50:
42:
37:
32:
25:Santa Fe Southern Railway
1197:Colorado Railroad Museum
1191:Myrick, David F (1990).
840:Santa Fe's annual fiesta
660:New Mexico chile peppers
1223:The railroads of Mexico
1113:The Evening Independent
1080:"End of the Chili Line"
926:was completed in 1924.
916:Los Alamos Ranch School
704:Territory of New Mexico
653:
993:along the edge of the
973:
790:
750:The AT&SF reached
1246:Streamliner Schedules
1092:on September 3, 2010.
971:
943:Rio Grande class K-28
788:
1336:Santa Fe New Mexican
1195:(revised ed.).
1013:and passing through
846:in a then embattled
644:EspaƱola, New Mexico
640:Santa Fe, New Mexico
63:Santa Fe, New Mexico
1342:on 29 February 2012
1005:at the foot of the
912:Buckman, New Mexico
710:, a route that the
1303:chililinedepot.com
974:
811:San Juan Extension
809:to the D&RG's
791:
768:Madrid, New Mexico
714:had already begun
636:Antonito, Colorado
58:Antonito, Colorado
964:Route description
872:Santa Fe Railyard
827:AT&SF's depot
676:William J. Palmer
606:
605:
602:
601:
139:
138:
1390:
1352:
1351:
1349:
1347:
1338:. Archived from
1327:
1314:
1313:
1311:
1309:
1294:
1283:
1282:
1274:Model Railroader
1268:
1257:
1256:
1254:
1252:
1242:"The Chili Line"
1237:
1228:
1227:
1217:
1211:
1210:
1188:
1129:
1128:
1126:
1124:
1117:Associated Press
1105:
1094:
1093:
1076:
1053:
1052:
1044:
1019:Rio Grande Gorge
1003:Pajarito Plateau
914:, which was the
897:
892:
890:
889:
885:
882:
625:
620:
574:
573:
554:
553:
532:
531:
510:
509:
488:
487:
466:
465:
444:
443:
422:
421:
402:
401:
382:
381:
360:
359:
353:
352:
333:
332:
311:
310:
289:
288:
269:
268:
249:
248:
229:
228:
207:
206:
195:
194:
164:
157:
150:
141:
134:
129:
30:
29:
1398:
1397:
1393:
1392:
1391:
1389:
1388:
1387:
1358:
1357:
1356:
1355:
1345:
1343:
1328:
1317:
1307:
1305:
1295:
1286:
1269:
1260:
1250:
1248:
1238:
1231:
1218:
1214:
1207:
1189:
1132:
1122:
1120:
1107:
1106:
1097:
1078:
1077:
1056:
1046:
1045:
1036:
1031:
1007:Jemez Mountains
966:
895:
887:
883:
880:
878:
877:4 ft
876:
860:
772:excursion train
741:San Luis Valley
729:Rocky Mountains
668:
656:
623:
618:
614:Santa Fe Branch
575:
555:
533:
511:
489:
467:
445:
423:
403:
383:
368:
361:
354:
334:
312:
290:
270:
250:
230:
208:
189:
188:Santa Fe Branch
182:
173:
172:
168:
132:
127:
67:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1396:
1386:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1354:
1353:
1315:
1297:Gjevre, John.
1284:
1279:Kalmbach Media
1258:
1229:
1212:
1205:
1130:
1095:
1054:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:and Alamosa.
982:Santa Fe River
978:street running
965:
962:
950:helper engines
859:
856:
848:Southeast Asia
747:was underway.
667:
664:
655:
652:
630:branch of the
604:
603:
600:
599:
597:
595:
593:
591:
589:
587:
584:
583:
578:
576:
569:
567:
565:
562:
561:
558:
556:
549:
547:
545:
542:
541:
536:
534:
527:
525:
523:
520:
519:
514:
512:
505:
503:
501:
498:
497:
492:
490:
483:
481:
479:
476:
475:
470:
468:
461:
459:
457:
454:
453:
448:
446:
439:
437:
435:
432:
431:
426:
424:
417:
415:
413:
410:
409:
406:
404:
397:
395:
393:
390:
389:
386:
384:
377:
375:
373:
370:
369:
366:
364:
362:
355:
348:
346:
344:
341:
340:
337:
335:
328:
326:
324:
321:
320:
315:
313:
306:
304:
302:
299:
298:
293:
291:
284:
282:
280:
277:
276:
273:
271:
264:
262:
260:
257:
256:
253:
251:
244:
242:
240:
237:
236:
233:
231:
224:
222:
220:
217:
216:
211:
209:
202:
200:
198:
191:
190:
187:
184:
183:
178:
175:
174:
170:
169:
167:
166:
159:
152:
144:
137:
136:
124:
118:
117:
114:
110:
109:
105:
104:
101:
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
84:
83:
78:
74:
73:
69:
68:
66:
65:
60:
54:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
35:
34:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1395:
1384:
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1365:
1363:
1341:
1337:
1333:
1326:
1324:
1322:
1320:
1304:
1300:
1293:
1291:
1289:
1280:
1276:
1275:
1267:
1265:
1263:
1247:
1243:
1236:
1234:
1225:
1224:
1216:
1208:
1206:0-8263-1185-7
1202:
1198:
1194:
1187:
1185:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1177:
1175:
1173:
1171:
1169:
1167:
1165:
1163:
1161:
1159:
1157:
1155:
1153:
1151:
1149:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1141:
1139:
1137:
1135:
1118:
1114:
1110:
1104:
1102:
1100:
1091:
1087:
1086:
1081:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1069:
1067:
1065:
1063:
1061:
1059:
1050:
1043:
1041:
1039:
1034:
1026:
1024:
1020:
1016:
1012:
1008:
1004:
1000:
996:
992:
988:
983:
979:
970:
961:
959:
955:
951:
947:
944:
940:
936:
932:
927:
925:
921:
917:
913:
909:
908:union station
905:
901:
896:1,435 mm
893:
873:
870:track in the
869:
865:
855:
851:
849:
845:
841:
837:
832:
828:
824:
820:
816:
812:
808:
804:
800:
796:
787:
783:
781:
777:
773:
769:
765:
761:
757:
753:
748:
746:
742:
738:
734:
730:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
697:
693:
689:
685:
681:
677:
673:
663:
661:
651:
649:
645:
641:
637:
633:
629:
621:
615:
611:
598:
596:
594:
592:
590:
588:
586:
585:
582:
577:
568:
566:
563:
557:
548:
546:
543:
540:
535:
526:
524:
521:
518:
513:
504:
502:
499:
496:
491:
482:
480:
477:
474:
469:
460:
458:
455:
452:
447:
438:
436:
433:
430:
425:
416:
414:
411:
405:
396:
394:
391:
385:
376:
374:
371:
367:Taos Junction
363:
347:
345:
342:
336:
327:
325:
322:
319:
314:
305:
303:
300:
297:
292:
283:
281:
278:
272:
263:
261:
258:
252:
243:
241:
238:
232:
223:
221:
218:
215:
210:
201:
199:
196:
193:
192:
186:
185:
181:
177:
176:
165:
160:
158:
153:
151:
146:
145:
143:
142:
130:
125:
123:
119:
115:
111:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
85:
82:
79:
75:
70:
64:
61:
59:
56:
55:
53:
49:
45:
41:
36:
31:
26:
22:
1344:. Retrieved
1340:the original
1306:. Retrieved
1302:
1272:
1249:. Retrieved
1245:
1222:
1215:
1192:
1121:. Retrieved
1112:
1090:the original
1083:
1048:
995:Caja del Rio
975:
928:
864:narrow gauge
861:
852:
819:wye junction
792:
779:
749:
733:La Veta Pass
680:narrow gauge
669:
657:
628:narrow-gauge
613:
609:
607:
318:Tres Piedras
1346:30 November
1308:January 14,
1251:30 November
1015:Santa Clara
985:grade to a
954:mixed train
745:Albuquerque
688:Mexico City
682:route from
624:914 mm
339:Servilleta
133:914 mm
122:Track gauge
113:Line length
77:Operator(s)
1362:Categories
1123:7 December
1029:References
999:Rio Grande
924:Los Alamos
868:dual-gauge
858:Operations
844:Burma Road
708:Raton Pass
696:concession
692:Rio Grande
610:Chili Line
171:Chili line
33:Chili Line
21:New Mexico
1277:(April).
803:Rio Chama
799:La Madera
712:AT&SF
619:3 ft
408:Barranca
388:Caliente
235:Palmilia
128:3 ft
108:Technical
1281:: 92ā97.
1023:Antonito
987:townsite
891: in
756:EspaƱola
752:Santa Fe
674:founder
616:, was a
581:Santa Fe
495:EspaƱola
255:Volcano
214:Antonito
38:Overview
991:Buckman
886:⁄
815:AbiquiĆŗ
807:Chamita
739:in the
737:Alamosa
716:grading
666:History
560:Jacona
539:Buckman
473:Chamita
451:Alcalde
296:No Aqua
275:Skarda
87:History
72:Service
51:Termini
1334:. The
1203:
958:Embudo
946:2-8-2s
939:2-8-0s
935:4-6-0s
931:4-4-0s
795:timber
684:Denver
429:Embudo
180:Legend
100:Closed
92:Opened
46:Closed
43:Status
23:, see
1011:Otowi
920:Otowi
805:from
760:Texas
638:, to
517:Otowi
95:1880s
1348:2009
1310:2022
1253:2009
1201:ISBN
1125:2009
1085:Time
831:Taos
764:Utah
727:the
706:via
654:Name
608:The
103:1941
989:at
904:wye
762:to
735:to
686:to
1364::
1318:^
1301:.
1287:^
1261:^
1244:.
1232:^
1199:.
1133:^
1111:.
1098:^
1082:.
1057:^
1037:^
898:)
782:.
626:)
1350:.
1312:.
1255:.
1209:.
1127:.
894:(
888:2
884:1
881:+
879:8
622:(
163:e
156:t
149:v
135:)
131:(
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.