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To the border town of El Paso – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 22
‘To the border town of El Paso’ covers my journey from our stop at Lordsburg, via Deming, through the inhospitable countryside of New Mexico.
The photographs that accompany this podcast:
Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:
Lordsburg:
As we leave Lordsburg we pass alongside a road with dreary buildings. There are a number of motels and, whilst I see one that is open, a number appear long closed. However, on-line sources tell me that there are still 12 motels with 300 rooms available as the city is a day’s drive from Los Angeles for those travelling on Interstate 10.
The Continental Divide:
We cross the Continental Divide between Lordsburg and Deming at 4,587 feet above sea level. Rivers to the east flow into the Atlantic and those to the west into the Pacific.
Deming:
This town of around 14,800 people has another Amtrak shelter and sign. Another short stop on our journey.
There is a marker to show where a Silver Spike was driven to celebrate the meeting of the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe railways. This was second transcontinental railway in the US.
We quickly return to the desert.
Union Pacific Santa Teresa facility:
Completed a year ahead of schedule the 2,200-acre site creates logistics efficiencies for Union Pacific customers in the Southwestern U.S. It is on Union Pacific’s critical Sunset Route, running for 760 miles from El Paso to Los Angeles.
Running into El Paso:
The Rio Grande is a natural boundary which forms the state line between New Mexico and Texas. It is also the border between the US and Texas from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico.
We pass the peak of Sierra Christo Rey with its 33 feet high statue of the Crucifixion before crossing into Texas. We pull to a stop in El Paso station a little early!
Listen to the podcast to hear the full story of the journey from Lordsburg to El Paso.
Next up:
If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we continue our journey on the Texas Eagle.
Links:
To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.
Music:
AKM Music licenses Steam Railway, Acoustic Folk and Horticulture for use in this podcast.
