New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Rail preservation groupNo public hours posted; call before you go
The New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society is the all-volunteer nonprofit that brought Santa Fe 2926, a 1944 Baldwin 4-8-4 Northern, back from decades of decline at its restoration site on 8th Street NW in Albuquerque.
- Home of Santa Fe 2926
- Baldwin 4-8-4 built in 1944
- All-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Founded in 1985
- Listed on the National Register
- School STEM outreach program
New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society at a glance
- Hours
- Not posted online; call (505) 246-2926 before visiting
- Admission
- Not posted online; ask when you call
- Best for
- Steam fans and older kids curious about big engines
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Albuquerque.
Rally Takes the Train
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Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Twenty years of volunteer work on one big Northern
Founded in 1985, the society set out to preserve the story of New Mexico's railroads and the steam locomotives that ran on them. Its great project became Santa Fe 2926, one of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe's 2900-class 4-8-4 Northern types, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1944. The members say plainly that their goal was an operating engine: once running, it could pull steam excursions, anchor a future transportation museum and travel to the major cities of New Mexico.
The work took more than 20 years, all of it done by volunteers, and the result is a locomotive that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and that the state legislature has recognized as the Official Steam Locomotive of New Mexico. Directory listings describe the 2926 as the only operating member of its class in the United States. The society also takes the engine's story into Albuquerque classrooms, using it to show students where a grounding in science, technology, engineering and math can lead.
Seeing No. 2926 on 8th Street NW
The locomotive is kept at the society's restoration site at 1833 8th Street NW in Albuquerque. The group does not post regular visiting hours or an admission policy online, and mainline excursions have been described as still in development, so the best plan is to call (505) 246-2926 or email the society before you go and ask when the site is open to visitors.
Don’t miss
- Santa Fe 2926A 2900-class 4-8-4 Northern built by Baldwin in 1944, restored by volunteers and named New Mexico's Official Steam Locomotive.
- The restoration siteThe 8th Street NW site is where two decades of volunteer work happened, and where the engine is kept today.
A real Northern for future engineers
The society's outreach work is aimed at students, using the 2926 to show how science and math turn into careers that keep big machines running. For a family visit, the draw is simply the size of a 4-8-4 steam locomotive up close. Because the society does not post visiting details, ask by phone what kids can see and whether the cab is ever open to guests.
Plan your visit: tips for New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society
- Call ahead: the society does not post regular public hours.
- The street address is 1833 8th Street NW; mail goes to PO Box 27270.
- Ask about volunteering if you want to help keep the 2926 in good order.
The volunteers behind the 2926
The society is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and the restoration of No. 2926 was done by its members over more than two decades. Michael F. Hartshorne is listed as the primary contact. People who want to help can ask about volunteering, membership or donations by calling (505) 246-2926 or emailing the society.
More rail history around Albuquerque
The Wheels Museum sits about 2 miles away in the old Santa Fe shop complex at the Albuquerque Rail Yards. The Belen Harvey House Museum is about 31 miles south, and Sky Railway runs train rides about 56 miles away in Santa Fe. For a statewide list, see train museums in New Mexico.
- Wheels MuseumAlbuquerque, NM · about 2 mi
- Belen Harvey House MuseumBelen, NM · about 31 mi
- Sky RailwaySanta Fe, NM · about 56 mi
- Santa Fe Railway historical exhibitsSanta Fe, NM · about 57 mi
- New Mexico Railroad MuseumLas Vegas, NM · about 87 mi
- Gallup Cultural Center / Historic Santa Fe DepotGallup, NM · about 121 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
A 4-8-4 like Santa Fe 2926 stands so tall that the climb to its cab would look like a mountain to a corgi. In our book, Rally's short legs cannot manage the big train steps, so Dad lifts him up with a little boost. My mom would have loved knowing volunteers spent twenty years making an engine that big ready to run again. Kids who like a climb can find Rally on the coloring pages.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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Work or volunteer at New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Santa Fe 2926 and its society: 20 questions
What is the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society?
It is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Albuquerque that works to preserve New Mexico's railroad history and teach about the state's railroading past, present and future. Its best known work is the restoration of Santa Fe 2926, a 1944 Baldwin 4-8-4 steam locomotive, along with educational outreach into Albuquerque schools.
Where is the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society located?
The society's restoration site is at 1833 8th Street NW in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Santa Fe 2926 is kept. Its mailing address is PO Box 27270, Albuquerque, NM 87125. Call (505) 246-2926 before driving over, since the society does not post regular public visiting hours online.
Can I visit Santa Fe 2926 in Albuquerque?
Possibly, but plan ahead. The locomotive is displayed at the society's site at 1833 8th Street NW, yet the society does not publish regular hours for the public. Call (505) 246-2926 or email the society to ask when the site is open and whether visitors can see the engine on the day you plan to come.
What are the hours for the New Mexico Steam Locomotive Society site?
The society does not list public hours online. As an all-volunteer group, its schedule can depend on work sessions and events. Call (505) 246-2926 or email mike480527@aol.com, the address listed for its primary contact, to ask about the next time visitors are welcome at the 8th Street NW site.
How much does it cost to see Santa Fe 2926?
The society does not post an admission price online. Some volunteer preservation groups welcome visitors without a fee and ask for donations instead, but do not assume that here: ask about cost when you call (505) 246-2926 to confirm a visit time.
What kind of locomotive is Santa Fe 2926?
Santa Fe 2926 is a 2900-class 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive built for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1944. Northerns were big, fast engines, and the 2926 is now the centerpiece of the society's work in Albuquerque.
Is Santa Fe 2926 the official steam locomotive of New Mexico?
Yes. The New Mexico legislature recognized Santa Fe 2926 as the Official Steam Locomotive of New Mexico. The engine is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a mark of how important it is to the state's railroad history and to the volunteers who restored it.
Does Santa Fe 2926 run?
Listings describe the 2926 as restored and as the only operating 2900-class locomotive in the United States, after more than 20 years of volunteer work. The society has said it plans to use the engine for steam excursions, and mainline trips have been described as still in development. Ask the society for current plans.
Does the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society run train rides?
Not on a posted schedule. The society's stated goal is to use Santa Fe 2926 to pull steam excursions around New Mexico and possibly across the country, but no ride dates or tickets are published online. Call (505) 246-2926 to ask whether any excursions are planned.
How long did the Santa Fe 2926 restoration take?
The restoration took more than 20 years. The society's volunteers worked through that time to bring the 1944 Baldwin locomotive back to operating condition, and directory listings describe the engine as thoroughly restored. It is a long project by any measure, done entirely by an all-volunteer organization.
When was the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society founded?
The society was founded in 1985, according to museum directory listings. Since then it has focused on preserving the history of New Mexico's railroads and the steam locomotives that powered them, with Santa Fe 2926 as its main restoration project and school outreach as its second focus.
Is the Santa Fe 2926 site good for kids?
Older kids who like big machines will get the most out of it, because the draw is seeing a full-size 4-8-4 steam locomotive up close. There are no posted kids' programs for drop-in visitors, so call (505) 246-2926 to ask what children can see and whether cab visits are ever possible.
Does the society offer school programs?
Yes. The society runs educational outreach into Albuquerque schools, using Santa Fe 2926 as an example of the careers students can reach with a solid foundation in science, technology, engineering and math. Teachers interested in a visit or presentation can call (505) 246-2926 to ask about availability.
How can I volunteer with the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society?
The society is run entirely by volunteers, so help is part of how it works. It does not post a volunteer sign-up form online, so call (505) 246-2926 or email mike480527@aol.com to ask about work sessions, skills the crew needs and how to join.
How can I donate to help Santa Fe 2926?
The society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations support restoration, upkeep and school outreach. It does not post an online donation page that can be confirmed here, so call (505) 246-2926 or write to PO Box 27270, Albuquerque, NM 87125-7270 to ask how to give.
Is there parking at the 8th Street NW site?
The society does not post parking details online. Because the site is a working restoration location rather than a staffed museum with a lot of its own, ask about parking and the right entrance when you call (505) 246-2926 to set up your visit.
Is the New Mexico Steam Locomotive Society site wheelchair accessible?
The society does not publish accessibility information. A restoration site with a steam locomotive can have uneven ground and tall steps, so call (505) 246-2926 ahead of time to ask what parts of the site are reachable and how the volunteers can help.
Who is the contact for the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society?
Michael F. Hartshorne is listed as the society's primary contact, with the email mike480527@aol.com. The society's phone number is (505) 246-2926. Those are the best ways to ask about visits, volunteering, donations or school outreach.
What does the society plan to do with Santa Fe 2926?
The society has said that, once running, the 2926 will serve as motive power for steam excursions and as the centerpiece of a transportation museum. It hopes to take the locomotive to all the major cities in New Mexico and possibly on cross-country trips.
What other train museums are near the New Mexico Steam Locomotive Society?
The Wheels Museum at the Albuquerque Rail Yards is about 2 miles away. The Belen Harvey House Museum is about 31 miles south, and Sky Railway and the Santa Fe Railway historical exhibits are around 56 to 57 miles away in Santa Fe. The New Mexico Railroad Museum in Las Vegas is about 57 miles out.
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