Ridership overwhelms Rail Runner to Santa Fe

TODAY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HOPPED ON THE RAIL RUNNER TO SANTA FE -- ON ITS FIRST WEEKEND OF S...  More »

TODAY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HOPPED ON THE RAIL RUNNER TO SANTA FE -- ON ITS FIRST WEEKEND OF SERVICE. OFFICIALS SAY THE ROUTE IS SO POPULAR THEY'LL BE ADDING ANOTHER TRAIN TO THE SCHEDULE TOMORROW TO ACCOMMODATE THE DEMAND. VALERIE CASTRO IS LIVE NEAR 2ND AND RIO BRAVO WITH TONIGHT'S TOP STORY. WE CAUGHT UP WITH A TRAIN THIS AFTERNOON JAMMED WITH MORE THAN A THOUSAND RIDERS. RAIL RUNNER OFFICIALS SAY IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR MANY PEOPLE AND SEVERAL HUNDRED HAD TO WAIT FOR A DIFFERENT TRAIN TO MAKE THE RIDE. JUDGING FROM TODAY'S RIDERSHIP, THE NEW RAIL RUNNER SERVICE TO SANTA FE IS HOTTER THAN HATCH GREEN CHILI. 'It's been terrific, we've had standing room only on the trains as a matter of fact a couple of our stops, especially los ranchos, unfortunately there was so many people we couldn't get them all on.'IN FACT RAIL RUNNER OFFICIALS SAY 2 TO 3-HUNDRED PEOPLE HAD TO WAIT FOR A SECOND TRAIN TO PICK THEM UP. 'I was really amazed, i know a lot of people have been waiting for it but i thought it will be ok, everybody's shopping, i couldn't believe the people that were standing around here waiting to get on.'THE SANTA FE SERVICE OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF THIS PAST WEDNESDAY. THE NEXT THREE WEEKENDS ARE FREE FOR RIDERS HEADED TO SANTA FE UNTIL JANUARY 4TH AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL BE ADDING ANOTHER TRAIN TO PICK UP ALL OF THOSE EXTRA RIDERS. 'Just everyone be patient with us, we'll add more cars tomorrow and hopefully give more people a ride and the opportunity to see the corridor.' RIDERS SAY THEY ALREADY HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING THE 80 MINUTE TRIP FROM DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE A LITTLE MORE NEW MEXICAN. 'I hope someday somebody makes tamales and runs up and down through the cars and sells them because we were so hungry by the time we got to santa fe....' RAIL RUNNER OFFICIALS SAY THEY'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE SCHEDULE WEBSITE BEING OVERLOADED WITH USERS -- THEY SAY THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THE PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE FIXED IN NO TIME. LIVE NEAR 2ND AND RIO BRAVO...VC..EWN 4.  « Less