Rough Riders Rail Rehab Organization

04/25/2026

04/05/2026

Happy Easter to all our friends and family who grace us with their love, wisdom, and warmth. Tomorrow is a day of wholeness, rebirth, and fresh beginnings. Whether you’re observing this profound holiday symbolizing the resurrection, or simply celebrating for the joy of it—have fun! Enjoy yourselves and spread kindness.

A little joy goes a long way!

P.S. To our fellow preservation outfits: please let that wily hare know he needs to stop storing his eggs in the smokebox—it’s NOT fun to clean up afterward! Shame on you, bunny. Shame!

04/02/2026

Brooks has been up to something!

Getting creative with advertising and having a keepsake can generate interest and excitement for patrons and friends. We have partnered with Warlocks Musings LLC to design a fun way for our patrons to take 1129 on the go with you!

Local companies are a great way to grow communities, and this company has great ambition and ideas! We will reveal the final product soon!

In the mean time, guess what it could be 😉

01/16/2026

Putting a long-standing rumor to rest regarding the original tender of locomotive No. 1129: at one point, this rumor circulated widely through various channels and eventually reached us as well (or rather, our ears). The claim was that 1129’s tender had been attached to one of her sisters in the class—specifically No. 1096, which was donated to the City of Blackwell, Oklahoma. Based on visual evidence alone, this seemed highly unlikely, but as with all things, the proof is in the pudding.

Many thanks to expert Melissa from the Top of Oklahoma Museum! We spoke with her regarding the park locomotive, and she was kind enough to stop by the park on her way home from work to photograph the tender badge. These images finally put to bed the rumor that 1129’s tender escaped the cutter’s torch, or certainly is MIA.

Now, eagle-eyed railfans may notice that the number on the tender corresponds with some famous motive power that had a very short lifespan on the Santa Fe system—the Mallets. As the badge reads, “1194.” These powerful machines were scrapped during the 1930s after suffering from significant mechanical problems and upkeep. The earlier iterations of these then-unusual locomotives were built by the Santa Fe in the Topeka shops in an effort to reduce lateral forces while working mountain-grade territory as passengers engines. That's a big "HMMM"...

A more rigid design resulted in significant force being applied to the outer rail during operation, leading to possible track failures and derailments. There are references in literature to dragging brakes, and lack-there-of on these monsters. The tender behind No. 1096 stands as a quiet reminder of the early advancement into articulated locomotive design—an evolution that can be seen on full display today in Western Maryland Scenic’s No. 1309 and Union Pacific’s Big Boy based in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Have a good one riders,

The 4ro team

01/13/2026

Sometimes a comment really catches our attention. We thought this one was particularly interesting on Rockierubicon's YouTube video about 1129.

Apparently, Las Vegas, Nevada is "The original Vegas." Having lived in Sin City for 7 years, Brooks Potts can confidently say that in the race to be the "original," New Mexico leaves everyone else in the dust!

The Historic record of New Mexico, and specifically Las Vegas is MUCH longer and if you haven't visited Las Vegas New Mexico, or plan to visit the land of enchantment, add Las Vegas on your list of places to go! You will not be disappointed!

As for locomotive 1129, in due time!

01/01/2026

2026 is here!

We wanted to share this special photo with you. While conducting research, we discovered a file containing what appear to be photo negatives of Locomotive 1129 being moved through Las Vegas, New Mexico, at the time of its donation. These negatives also include images of scores of individuals who helped cosmetically clean up the engine years later, as well as those who witnessed its official placement.

Locomotive 1129 faced major hurdles after its donation. One significant challenge was vandalism—many locals and newspaper articles documented the issue well, from BB guns puncturing the boiler jacket to petty theft. Eventually, a fence was installed to protect 1129, though it wasn't quite enough to fully safeguard her.

From the community's perspective, families fondly recall climbing into her cab, imagining themselves opening the throttle and becoming engineers for a moment. She served as a platform for local dreamers to briefly experience the feel of 200 tons of steel and steam power, sitting in the same seats occupied by countless engineers and firemen over her 50 years of operation.

As we continue our efforts to preserve her, please enjoy this special photograph of Locomotive 1129 arriving at her new home on the corner of Mills and Grand Ave.

Happy New Year, Riders!

The 4ro team

12/29/2025

Existing along the i25 between Santa Fe and Trinidad we get the fortune of other preservation outfits, enthusiasts, and steam locomotive professionals making pit stops by this little slice of railroading heaven.. One who frankly needs no introduction is Jason Sobczynski, or That Steam Guy for those that consume his content regularly. Jason has been involved in steam preservation for the better part of 14 years citing early influences from the famously known Southern Pacific's no.4449 (or daylight) at a crossing when he was 4 years old being the spark for his future in steam engine preservation.

Jason has an extensive mental repository of locomotive know-how, and something he finds to be a major motivating factor is the sharing of knowledge to do things right! While being contracted to assist the New Mexico Heritage Rail in a major turntable restoration at the Albuquerque rail yards we reached out to see if he would like to breath in that Meadow City air, and indulge in our incredible history here. It was an impromptu request but yesterday Jason popped up with friends in tow eagerly awaiting a tour. We showed Jason around Vegas and all of it's incredible railroad history. We also had a walk around 1129, and there were many things Jason found interesting, unusual, and outright crazy!

Jason has given us many things to think about. In the meantime we appreciate the visit and we hope you had safe travels back down to ABQ Jason! If you haven't already, go check out Jason's content. He posts daily to encourage preservation, and has a knack for all things steam! You may even learn something you didn't know that may cause you to become just as mad as we all are to preserve and protect these mighty machines!

Best wishes and a Happy New Year Riders,

The 4RO team

12/24/2025

Ho Ho Ho! It's Christmas Eve!

Don't be mad at us, though. We know we've been dreadfully quiet. It's on us, and it's because we wanted to make sure we had some more concrete information to share without kicking ourselves too hard.

Consider this a Christmas gift with immense potential. A Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Las Vegas and Rough Riders Rail is now being reviewed by the City's legal team before submission to the Council for review.

This isn't a certainty—it could be voted down, preventing us from moving forward. However, through many encouraging meetings and conversations with our Mayor, City Manager, City Staff, Council, and community members, we have hammered out a reasonable document in confidence that Las Vegas is ready to see their Black Beauty returned to a polished gem, with an even brighter future.

What does the MOU include? Right now, we have decided to take this step by step, developing a series of MOUs to simplify things, avoid confusion, and increase community involvement. This felt like the right thing to do, since the major belief by the community is that they don't often get their voices heard. Our board members, Barbara and Dave, agree strongly that this is the best process instead of a massive document. Think of it as an evolving series of permissions from start to finish. In the MOU, we have detailed a mandatory safety inspection, removing liability from the City of Las Vegas and allowing railroad professionals into the enclosure to analyze the condition of the engine. This includes some stabilization and clean-out of areas, and a visual inspection of how bad things really are. We will be documenting everything!!

It's an exciting head start to the New Year, one that we've worked hard on since late 2023. We are looking forward to the future for 1129, and one where she can be admired as she always has—with the spirit of preservation and the return of industrial processes and knowledge to the community. This will still be challenging for many reasons; access to materials, tooling, and space will also be on the docket when we get deeper. We will update everyone on those solutions once the MOU has been officiated.

Thank you for believing in the mission here. No one prepares you for the long-term commitments involved in preservation, or the necessary work of relationship building. It takes a lot of effort, embrace, and emphasis on differing perspectives—and diametrically opposed views on preservation entirely. There is also a major network of anti-startup hecklers, or as Brooks calls them, "know-it-seen-it-alls," that flock like buzzards around the sphere of the preservation world. Believe it or not, they can even make their way into your ranks and attempt to erode trust and dismantle the work you've put in—and it doesn't take much. For one reason or another, their own personal mission is to test the will of groups by disparaging and defaming their every move. Our message to you, the upstart, is this: If you have the heart to go down this road and to face off against the odds (which really aren't that bad), you are already 10 steps ahead of them. You are the next generation in preservation that will help keep the railroads and their history alive for another 50 years. So keep at it! Learn, be patient, and above all, wear your pride and passion like a Purple Heart. There is dignity in believing in something more than yourself!

Merry Christmas, Riders!

The 4RO Team

12/19/2025

The Case of the Missing Pair of Baldwin Locomotive Plates

You may have seen a post many moons ago regarding 1129 and her two stolen builder's plates. Although we don't have an official date for their abrupt removal, we do know they were sold in 2017 to a buyer on eBay. The railroad collector scene often sells these plates in railroadiana groups or on sales sites where collectors can pick up these unique industrial manufacturer plates, often spending thousands of dollars to acquire them. The more unique the locomotive, the more desirable—and expensive—the plates can be. Although plenty of Prairie locomotives were erected by the Baldwin Locomotive Works during the first quarter of the 20th century, it's clear from the damage on the plates that an aggressive approach was used to remove them from their mounting studs. In the bottom photo, we can see that there was no "clean" approach to removing them, which damaged the boiler jacket of 1129.

So how much were they sold for? Based on a Worth Point data capture, they went into a collector's hands for the sum of $1,500. After researching, we had to take action and involve local police to get some answers. We had a chance to speak to Caleb Marquez, Chief of Police at the City of Las Vegas, and he agreed that it was a travesty for the plates to have disappeared from the locomotive. In our search for truth, we have officially filed a police report with the Las Vegas, NM, Police Department on behalf of our organization in hopes of aiding in their location—and eventually their return to the City of Las Vegas, New Mexico. In an effort to deter sellers, we have begun providing the case number from the Police Department to several online sites to flag their sale. Although this won't stop someone from selling them privately, it will ensure that their circulation remains minimal and perhaps alert the owner that they were stolen.

The reality is that there is only so much you can do. You hope that there is a good Samaritan out there, willing to donate them or sell them back after spending their personal money to acquire them. Most park locomotives were easy targets for thieves, especially before the advent of the digital age, when security cameras could capture these types of crimes in real time. Many display locomotives now remain behind tall chained fences, even having platforms and windows barred and closed off to increase the security of the equipment—which can lead to a less-than-desirable appearance for tourists and historians. We believe this is a move in the right direction, ensuring that we help keep vandalism and theft to a minimum while keeping 1129 as original as possible.

What's next? The Las Vegas Police Department will investigate further to understand how these slipped under the radar, using resources at their disposal that might provide more leads. While we allow Las Vegas' finest to do what they do best, we want this to be a PSA that we are actively on the lookout to return these plates to the locomotive. If you have information regarding these plates or would like to remain anonymous, you can reach out to the Las Vegas Police Department at 505-425-6771. If you would like to see details regarding the official case, Case #: 2025001483.

We are also always available to answer questions regarding the plates or what you might know! A big thank you to Officer Salazar for taking time out of his schedule to write down our report and all the information we have collected!

Las Vegas City Government

10/21/2025

Channeling Buddy vibes!

Buddy resides at the famous El-Fidel Hotel and Dicho's Coffee shop here in Las Vegas, New Mexico. What a pleasant surprise to be graced by his presence while we work on the website! He has a beautiful off-white coat with the slightest suggestion of tabby orange on the ears and forehead. Much like other preservation organizations who have a mascot of the feline kind, we certainly don't mind a visit from Buddy when we are working.

Do you love coffee? Or how about a crisp Boba Tea? Perhaps a piping hot Expresso? Dichos is a great spot!

We will give Buddy some scratches and pets for you!

Have a wonderful day,

The 4ro team