Belen station

Belen
Rail Runner Express commuter rail station
The platform of Belen station
General information
Location100 Rail Runner Drive, Belen, New Mexico
Coordinates34°39′48″N 106°45′59″W / 34.66333°N 106.76639°W / 34.66333; -106.76639
Line(s)
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
Construction
Parking220 spaces
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zoneZone A
History
OpenedFebruary 2, 2007
Services
Preceding station New Mexico Rail Runner Express Following station
Terminus Rail Runner Express Los Lunas
Location
Map

Belen is the southern terminus of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter rail line, located in the center of the town of Belen, New Mexico, near the intersection of Reinken Avenue and Wisconsin Street. It serves residents of Belen and surrounding communities in Valencia County, New Mexico. The station began service on February 2, 2007, as the fifth station on the line.[1]

Earlier, as recent as 1966, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe operated a passenger train from Albuquerque, through Belen, to El Paso.[2] Belen would have been part of an Amtrak passenger train from Los Angeles, California to Atlanta, Georgia that was never started.[3][4]

Passengers can connect to shuttles serving Belen, Rio Communities, and Socorro.[5] The station has free parking, with 220 spaces.

Each of the Rail Runner stations contains an icon to express each community's identity. The icon representing this station is the Harvey House in Belen, which is within walking distance of the station.

  1. ^ http://www.nmrailrunner.com/belen.asp Archived 2008-05-28 at the Wayback Machine Stations, Belen
  2. ^ "Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, Table 10". Official Guide of the Railways. 99 (7). National Railway Publication Company. December 1966.
  3. ^ "Intercity Rail Passenger Route". The Shreveport Journal. June 20, 1975. p. 23. Retrieved June 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "New Amtrak Line Said Doubtful". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. November 30, 1975. p. 78. Retrieved June 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Socorro NM - Transportation Services". Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-12-05.