The unmistakable smell of coal smoke, broken windows, missing doors, volunteer trees growing in odd places, warped floors of wooden bricks, darkened repair halls, empty lockers, a spawning ground for graffiti artists, and ghosts. These are the treasures of the Albuquerque's Rail Yards that have prevailed after more than 50 years after worked stopped inside their walls.
It's a photographic bonanza...
The Rail Yards with an outdoor roundhouse and the historic structures are an important part of Albuquerque's economic and industrial past. The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad established locomotive repair shops and offices at the site in the 1880s. These were modernized and expanded by the Santa Fe Railway after 1912. The Santa Fe Railway was one of Albuquerque's biggest employers and played a huge role in the development of the city. The shops were in full operation until the 1950s, with the switch from steam engines to diesel engines.
Wondering if any one has photos of the smokestack that was part of the rail yards. It could be seen from all parts of the city. I lived a few blocks from it. It was eventually demolished for reasons I do not know.