Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 4-8-4 2926 has made successful test runs between Los Lunas, N.M. and Bernalillo, N.M. over the former Santa Fe main line that is now owned and maintained by the State of New Mexico. 

The Albuquerque-based locomotive first operated a fundraiser dinner train on Friday, Sept. 25 from its restoration site roughly three miles to the South Rail Yards where it would be displayed for New Mexico Railroad Days on Sept. 26 and 27. 

After being displayed on Saturday, Sept. 26, it operated north to Bernalillo late that evening, and returned to the display site early Sunday morning. That evening, it ran south from Albuquerque to Los Lunas and back. The engine covered a total of 80 miles during the weekend.

A main line photo charter hosted by Lerro Photography is scheduled to take place featuring 2926 next month, where the engine will operate at speeds up to 50 mph on the same trackage. New Mexico Heritage Rail was approved last year by the New Mexico Department of Transportation to operate the locomotive on the 40-mile stretch between Bernalillo and Los Lunas. 

Santa Fe 2926 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1944 and hauled fast freight and passenger trains across the Southwest for only 9 years before it was retired. In 1956, after three years of storage, the locomotive was donated to the City of Albuquerque and displayed in Coronado Park until 2000 when New Mexico Heritage Rail relocated the locomotive to be restored, which was completed in 2021. It is the largest operating 4-8-4 in North America. 

— Nick Stewart