Many years ago, my daily trek to and from Wood Gormley Elementary School took me through the Santa Fe Railyard when it really was a railyard: huff and chuff of steam locomotives belching smoke, bump and clang of coupling boxcars and an exciting, if dangerous, playground for boys. A penny on a track became a two-bit-sized copper disk after a steam engine passed over it; fuel blocks burned with a satisfying blue flame and an acrid stink of sulfur. It was fun to climb into an open boxcar and to be chased away by indignant railway workers.

With all the wrangling over the Railyard’s uses today, it occurs to me that Santa Fe could make a fitting memorial to its past by putting a whole train there, today. Old AT&SF steam engine 5060, a magnificent machine, is nearly invisible where it stands now in Salvador Perez Park. Why not move 5060 to the track where a forlorn caboose now stands at the intersection of Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive? Then hook on a couple of restored boxcars, add the caboose and have a real vintage train to greet visitors arriving in Santa Fe? It would take our minds off the plywood box on the Plaza and that hideous art museum.

James O. Jackson Santa Fe

Unacceptable

What City Manager John Blair did is totally unacceptable, and the primary issue is that every city councilor, with one exception, has allowed this behavior, and yet councilors are wanting to “act” as if they are surprised by this disregard of transparency (“Late audit delaying city funds,” Sept. 26). Councilor Michael Garcia is the only councilor who questioned the late audits, the 22 issues of concerns on the finally submitted, so-called good audit. Councilors have allowed this mayhem to happen; they have allowed the total disregard of the public to be notified; and they have allowed a complete and total lack of responsibility in all of the malfeasance in so many city departments. Their refusal to acknowledge so many concerning issues, including the amount of E. coli being dumped into the Santa Fe River, is a total disregard to their elected positions and responsibility they owe to the citizens of Santa Fe.

Victoria Murphy Santa Fe

Charging at home

The recently announced 500 fast-charging electric vehicle stations to be added statewide will lower a speed bump to EV adoption. But as EV drivers know, most charging occurs at home because most people’s daily driving miles fall well below their car’s range. Luckily, there are tax credits and rebates for installing home chargers. For example, a low-income Public Service

Company of New Mexico household has up to $3,500 to spend on installing a charger now (more if they pay federal taxes), while a high-income PNM household is eligible for PNM’s $500 charger rebate and the state’s $500 credit plus an additional 30% federal tax credit up to $1,000 if they live in a rural or low-income community. Rural Electric Co-op rebates range to $500. To discover your incentives for EV chargers, EVs, heat pumps, window treatments, solar panels and much more, visit Electrify New Mexico at tinyurl.com/ElectricNM.

Stefi Weisburd Tijera

A dangerous road

The continuing blockage of Richards Road is a serious inconvenience for Santa Fe Community College students. But even worse is the dangerous diversion onto Rabbit Road. At night, Rabbit Road has no lights, no mid or side lines and incomplete signage for access from what is left of Richards. Can someone do something about this before the inevitable accidents?

Mark Friedman Santa Fe s

Enjoying the museum

Our recent visit to the Vladem Contemporary art museum’s opening weekend left us with a happy feeling. The transformation of the old abandoned archive center into an attractive venue for New Mexican artists to showcase their work, along with a large art storage area, was more than impressive. The spacious classroom is a great asset for our budding artists. The rooftop balcony provides an unmatched view of our Santa Fe mountains. Importantly, for many, Gilberto Guzman’s vibrant work of art remains an important attraction, easily accessible to all. Also noteworthy, the museum preserved the old archive center signs prominently inside the entrance. This visit filled us with appreciation for the arts, history and our New Mexico culture. I hope we can all express our thanks to those who made this museum a reality, especially to the Vladems.

Lance and Julia Bell Santa Fe

Just decide

I’ve read many good suggestions for the monument. Two stand out: Father Jerome’s prayer of St. Francis in Tewa, Spanish and English (“Perhaps St. Francis can lead the way,” Letters to the Editor, Sept. 24). Who could object? And from many — make it flat, nothing to tear down. Let’s stop dithering. Have one open council meeting and decide and finally do something.

Doug Puryear Santa Fe