Latest news with #RailRunner
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UNM engineering students take midterm exam on Rail Runner
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A UNM professor brought his engineering students out of the classroom, turning the mundane task of taking a practical exam into an interactive, hands-on learning experience. 'The best way to introduce students or people who want to learn about dynamics and not be intimidated with equations is to actually see the structure vibrating with their own hands,' shared Dr. Fernando Moreu, UNM Professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. The Rail Runner, a ride hundreds take every day for work travel, now serves as a hands-on learning environment. 'The equations, dynamics, vibrations can be tested in the ride of the train by taking the exam,' continued Moreu. UNM student fees will increase for '25-'26 as school looks to bolster athletic funding This was Dr. Moreu's first time administering this kind of test on the Rail Runner. His previous times were when students applied sensors on the tram riding up the Sandia Mountains. This new application allowed students to test critical engineering fundamentals in real-time on a much larger scale. 'So at the end of the day, you want to be sure that they don't lose the ability of the dynamics class on the theory,' shared Moreu. During the first week of class, students built their sensors to collect acceleration and tested them on campus. 'This class kind of taught us how to deploy sensors, take data, plot the data, all on real-time under pressure. So I felt like we were all ready for that exam,' emphasized Wyatt Sager, a graduate student at UNM. Students install nap pods at the University of New Mexico Once students had the practical skills down, with a normal questionnaire exam on the ride between Albuquerque and Kewa. The ride back was used to study vibration and movement in a dynamic environment. This advanced course has been offered by Professor Moreu every three years since 2016. And though this class was the first ever to take their exam on the train, he hopes to continue this trend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue Bus expects to restore routes limited by onset of COVID-19
A North Central Regional Transit District bus shown in downtown Santa Fe. (NCRTD courtesy photo) Over the next year, Northern New Mexico's bus system anticipates restarting routes that were suspended or curtailed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, fears of a national recession are driving uncertainty about how much the so-called Blue Bus will receive from both local governments and Washington. The North Central Regional Transit District Board of Directors on Friday approved a preliminary $53 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a nearly 7% decrease from the previous year's budget. The board will meet again in June to formally vote on the budget, which staff will then submit to the state Department of Finance and Administration. The district projects the number of riders on its 26 fixed routes to increase compared to last year, when more than 565,000 people took the bus, a marked decline from the 2018-2019 fiscal year pre-pandemic numbers of more than 814,000 rides. In his budget message to the board, Executive Director Anthony Mortillaro wrote that the district suspended some routes or limited them to on-demand service in response to the pandemic's outset, but most have returned, and the rest will in the coming year as they hire more staff. The district's service area encompasses 74 communities across 10,0000 square miles where nearly 290,000 people live. NCRTD employs approximately 100 people, and the budget pays for two additional bus drivers. At its Friday meeting in Española, Mortillaro told the board that the district's future projections remain uncertain because of federal actions. Nearly 50% of the district's income comes from the federal government. 'There's an increasing concern about the odds of a national recession due to the tariffs and high interest rates, and all that could impact tax revenues as well as future grant levels,' he said. Most Blue Bus routes run in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos and Los Alamos counties, with some connecting to eight Northern Pueblos, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the counties of San Juan, Mora and San Miguel. While the area is experiencing a 'leveling economic recovery based upon reported tax revenues,' Mortilarro wrote, a recession could lower those tax revenues and how much grant money the federal government will provide. Los Alamos County, the City of Santa Fe and the Rio Metro Regional Transit District, which operates the Rail Runner, contribute more than $7 million to the Blue Bus's budget, which it uses to fund regional transit in those areas, Mortillaro wrote. The budget also includes $9.5 million for electrical charging infrastructure in Española and Taos, and three diesel hybrid electric buses. Tariffs can add between 5% and 10% to the price of an electric bus, Mortillaro said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police identify woman killed in crash involving Rail Runner
Apr. 23—State Police has identified the driver who was killed when her sport utility vehicle was struck by a Rail Runner train Tuesday evening in Los Lunas. Audrey Gonzales, 52, of Los Lunas, died in the collision that happened around 7 p.m. at the Elaine Drive crossing — essentially across the highway from the Allsups on N.M. 314. It's unclear what led to the crash. The commuter train was carrying only employees at the time, and none of them were injured, said New Mexico State Police spokesperson Wilson Silver. The incident remains under investigation, he said.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
KRQE Newsfeed: Baby in dumpster, CYFD investigation, Warming up, Graduation rates, Love in the clouds
'Housing Forward Fund' to bring over 1,000 affordable housing units to Albuquerque Alleged Venezuelan gang member arrested at Doña County judge's home 1 dead after Rail Runner collides with vehicle in Los Lunas Former top 100 recruit commits to Lobos Portales police investigate shooting that injured juvenile New Mexico Highlands University sues FEMA over HPCC Fire compensation Istanbul earthquake measuring 6.2 leaves buildings, residents shaken: 'It threw us around' [1] APD: Newborn baby found dead in a dumpster – APD says officers were called out around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday after people digging through a dumpster found a dead newborn baby, partially wrapped in a blanket. APD says the individuals immediately alerted a security guard in the area. Police are not sharing details of the gender of the newborn or ow long the baby may have been in the dumpster. Police believe whoever the mother is may need medical attention. They are urging anyone with information to come forward. [2] New Mexico Attorney General launches investigation into CYFD – New Mexico's Attorney General is now investigating CYFD with the goal being to provide a blueprint of the issues that have plagued the agency and how to fix them. Raul Torrez said the agency is not being transparent about incidents that have left children under state supervision injured or dead. Torrez said the investigation will seek detailed records of events leading up to deaths or injury of children under CYFD supervision. The results will go to the newly created office of the child advocate, to provide a blueprint of the issues that have plagued the agency. [3 ]Warmer than normal with storms in far-East New Mexico – Isolated storms will be possible in eastern New Mexico through Saturday. High temperatures will stay above average all week long. Temperatures will also continue to stay well-above average for this time of year through the weekend. Westerly winds will increase across the state beginning Friday, bringing potentially even warmer temperatures by Saturday afternoon. Windier weather Sunday will likely bring a high fire danger across the state. A cold front will cool highs back down to around average again early next week. [4] Graduation rate increases for Albuquerque Public Schools – APS says they're seeing more students earn their caps and gowns than in years past. APS says the class of 2024 had a nearly 76% graduation rate, up from roughly 72% the previous year. They say increasing attendance and an early warning system to let students know about low grades have helped improve student success. The district's graduation rate is still below the 87% national average. [5] Balloon Fiesta showcased in new Hallmark movie – Albuquerque native Lisa Hepner knew her home state had everything needed to make a great film. So Hepner got to work writing and completing 'Love in the Clouds.' The storyline revolves around an out of town news reporter who comes to cover Balloon Fiesta and meets and falls for a hot air balloon pilot. Most of the filming took place at Balloon Fiesta Park. Love in the Clouds premieres on Hallmark on May 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
