All Saturday and Wednesday onsite activities and public tours are suspended until further notice as we all do our best to keep our families and visitors safe.   The Board of Directors will re-evaluate this status each week as we continue to follow the follow Federal and New Mexico State Government's COVID-19 guidelines.   Communication to the membership and public about this matter and eventual re-opening will be communicated through email, TW3, website, Instagram, and Facebook.   We thank you all for your continued support and words of encouragement.

Mike Hartshorne
President, NMSL&RHS

Our Tool Car, NMSX 3939, arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico on or about Friday 3/20/2020.   Currently, its hidden away in the old downtown rail yards awaiting final delivery to the 2926 WHQ!   Soon, we'll start remodeling the interior and equipping it with the new electrical generator which we have already purchased and stashed away.   Among other things, the gen set will power the high-volume screw air compressor we have to assist with cold-starts when AT&SF 2926 is here or on the road.   The Tool Car will also be utilized to carry other tools like welding equipment, special tools, spare parts, lubricants and other consumables peculiar to steam operation, as well as a few skilled maintenance and operations crew members.   And don't worry - it will get a brand new exterior paint job and interior detailing to match its shiny new wheels, brakes and trucks.

However, we still need a bit more funds to finish this job.   The Tool Car will no doubt be a critical item needed to support AT&SF 2926 while its on the road, so please consider a generous donation today.   Meanwhile, in the very near future, we hope to be showing-off a working Northern 4-8-4 to pull this car and more passenger cars, so stay tuned . . .

As a side note, our tool car still sits here in the ABQ yard with BNSF until our insurance to the site gets worked out.   We are in contact with all appropriate parties and hope to see the tool car at our site soon.

Fellow Ferroequinologists, John Taylor, our unofficial historian, is completing a book on the 2926 restoration project.   It is a bound, 8 x 10 book about 190 pages long with hundreds of images, both historic and current.   In order for us to obtain a sufficient number of the books for sale to both NMSL&RHS members and for sale to the general public through our store, we would like you to "place an advanced order" with Rick Marsden at hdric@verizon.net.   There will be two versions available, one in full color and one which is half color and half black-and-white.   The full color version will be available for $50 per copy and the half-and-half version will be available for $40 per copy.   A small postage and handling fee will be added for copies that need to be mailed.   Depending on the Coronavirus, among other things, the book should be available sometime in the April-May time frame.   Thanks for letting us know your preferences, and, in the words of our fearless CMO, "Keep on Steamin' . . ."

Born in May 1944 the AT&SF 2926 ran a million miles in the American Southwest before being retired in an Albuquerque City park in 1953.   Rescued from that park in 2000 the giant steam locomotive is being restored to operation by the all volunteer crew of the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society.   You have to see it to believe it !   Come to the restoration site at 1833 8th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 any Wednesday or Saturday between 9 AM and 3 PM for a free hard hat tour.