Located at downtown Barela’s are Albuquerque rail yards constructed in 1915. The railroads fully equipped with shops, stores, and a fire station were the largest employers in the city of Albuquerque. The rail yard together with its shops was abandoned and left to decay when the station repair was changed to a new locale.

History of Albuquerque rail yards

Albuquerque rail yards were first constructed in the 1880s when Albuquerque was made a stopover between AT and SF railway and the Atlantic and Pacific railroad. Santa Fe Railway purchased the A and P in the early 1900s and renovated them for use when they started their operations in 1902. After only a few years in operations, the old 1880s shops were demolished and new ones that are still standing till today were built in 1915. The shops which included a machine shop, boiler shop, blacksmith shop, and a fire station were the largest employers of the city at the time.

Decline and abandonment of the rail yards shop

Santa Fe railroad did well in its operational years until the 1940s. Activities at the rail yards declined when new diesel locomotives replaced the old steam ones. A new repair station was therefore established in Cleburne and San Bernardino yards. Albuquerque rail yards employees were rendered jobless and the yards were deserted shortly afterward when trains did not stop at the station anymore.

Hazards at the Albuquerque rail yard

The railroad buildings and yard were built with several fortified metals that have currently rusted and unstable. Most of them can fall on an unsuspecting civilian. Faulty out-of-date wirings at the buildings are also hazardous as they can inflict harm.

What is the current situation of the rail yard shops?

The Albuquerque rail yard was bought by the city of Albuquerque to renovate the rail yard. After some progress in the renovation, it was halted for reasons that are not known. Currently, the rail yard and its 18-building shops still stand in despair after halted renovation. Today, the Albuquerque rail yard serves as a prime location for various filming industries. Various movies such as Breaking Bad, Avengers, and many others have used the yards for shooting their videos. Weekly and seasonal public events such as farmers. The market is hosted at the yard.

Can one visit the Albuquerque rail yard?

The rail yard is today closed to the public who wish to tour the complex due to fear of vandalism. Community events that do not require entry inside the building complex are permitted. Plans of renovating the Albuquerque shops and yard are still in the offing as the city and state government is working on securing fundings from the federal government to fully restore the rail yard.