NM commuter rail to add Sunday service

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico plans to offer commuter rail service on Sundays between Belen and Santa Fe.

Gov. Bill Richardson said Friday the expanded rail operations should begin by the Labor Day weekend.

Currently, the Rail Runner Express runs Monday through Saturday.

The rail line began operating in July 2006 between Belen and Bernalillo through Albuquerque. Service to Santa Fe started last December.

A new rail station south of Santa Fe will open on Saturday. The station is along Interstate 25 near New Mexico route 599, a bypass road around Santa Fe.

NM Rail Runner to get lifesaving devices

The New Mexico Rail Runner will soon get defibrillators, and conductors, engineers and ticket clerks are being trained in advance on how to use the lifesaving machines.

Officials said the defibrillators will be installed on the cab cars of every Rail Runner train set by the end of August.

The devices deliver an electrical current through the chest to the heart to correct a critically irregular heartbeat.

Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments, said it makes sense to have this kind of equipment on the commuter train in the event of a medical emergency.

Albuquerque-based EMS Aspects is installing the devices on the train and providing training to Rail Runner staff.