A LIST OF CHANGES ARE BEING SUGGESTED FOR NEW MEXICO’S RAIL RUNNER AS THE COMMUTER TRAIN CONTINUES TO LOSE RIDERSHIP. THE CHANGES ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR. MOST OF THE FOCUS IS ON A FEDERALLY MANDATED SAFETY SYSTEM ENTITLED “POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL” … OR P-T-C.
SPOKESPERSON AUGUSTA MEYERS SAYS THE WHOLE COST WILL BE 55-MILLION DOLLARS AND THE RAIL RUNNER ALREADY HAS 35-MILLION DOLLARS TO PITCH IN. THAT INCLUDES UPGRADING THE TRAIN’S WI-FI SYSTEM.
LAWMAKERS ALSO WANT A LONG-RANGE PLAN TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP, WHICH HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE SINCE 2010. THAT’S WHEN 1-POINT-16 MILLION PASSENGERS USED THE COMMUTER TRAIN. LAST YEAR THE NUMBER OF RIDERS DROPPED TO 771-THOUSAND.
