The New Mexico Independent wrote about and photographed the 3rd Annual Dump the Pump Day, which included free rides on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express (which is managed by the Mid-Region Council of Governments).

From the article:

While waiting for the 4:10 p.m. northbound and the 4:25 p.m. southbound trains, the feeling at the downtown station was like that of a picnic. The hundreds waiting to hitch a ride on the Rail Runner waved cardboard fans (printed with the schedules), proudly wore “I Dumped the Pump” buttons and played with free frisbees. A dunk tank was set up to dunk a gas-station attendant. An easy consensus emerged that on this hot day it would be nice to be the one being dunked.

A rider who had been riding “for over a year,” remarked on the large amount of people. “It’s because it’s free,” she said. Another regular Rail Runner rider chimed in, “And it’s cool,” referring to both the air conditioning and the novelty factor of riding a train.

Others weren’t such veterans of train riding. “This is my first time I’ve ever been on a train!” one girl remarked while the train made it’s way north. “It’s like being on a magic carpet or something.” (full article here)

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Photos by Matthew Reichbach