Sunport Activates Rail Spur, Landing First Client and New Revenue Stream

ALBUQUERQUE  —  The Albuquerque International Sunport announced major progress in Mayor Keller’s vision of activating the Sunport Rail Spur, which was acquired from the federal government in 2022.

New Mexico Transloading, LLC, is the first client of the rail spur, and has already invested about $1.4 million to rehabilitate the northern portion of the rail line. The rail spur branches off from the main rail line from Broadway Blvd. to Rio Bravo Blvd. to serve future industrial sites with access to the Sunport.

The upgrades will allow the company to store and handle more rail cars, and the company is expected to begin paying per-car fees to the Sunport in early 2026, creating a new revenue stream for the airport’s enterprise fund.

“This investment sets the foundation for growth that will strengthen Albuquerque’s economy for decades to come,” said Mayor Keller. “With the opening of this first segment of track, we can immediately bring positive impact to local businesses.”

The purchase, combined with nearly 400 acres acquired in September 2025, gives the Sunport ownership of nearly 1,000 acres of undeveloped property for future economic development — without the use of local tax dollars.

“The public-private partnership that has been formed with New Mexico Transloading is a perfect symbiotic relationship for the continued business and economic growth of our city and state,” said NMT Director of Business Development Brian Connell. “We’re glad for the chance to provide our established customers more opportunities to ship and receive interstate and international commodities.”

Additional assessments are underway to rehabilitate the remainder of the rail spur, which holds the unique legacy of New Mexico’s atomic past. The line was constructed for and owned by the Atomic Energy Commission to serve Sandia National Laboratory, a facility established as part of the Manhattan Project headquartered out of Los Alamos, New Mexico, during World War II. Ownership of the line transferred to Kirtland Air Force Base when Sandia was merged into Kirtland in the 1970s. The line was operated under an O&M agreement with the Santa Fe Railroad (which later became BNSF) for many years until Kirtland’s and Sandia’s mission evolved from its legacy focus on atomic research and development and the spur was no longer needed for regular use. The spur sat idle until the base decided it would not be needed for future missions and put it up for auction in 2021, when it was purchased by the Sunport.

“By bringing rail, air service, and foreign trade zone benefits together in one location, we’re creating a powerful hub for business,” said Economic Development Director Max Gruner. “This partnership with New Mexico Transloading will help attract new companies, support local jobs, and strengthen Albuquerque’s economy.”

The spur begins at Broadway on the main rail line and loops around I-25 through the southern edge of Sunport property, offering a rare footprint suitable for large-scale industrial and logistics operations, with key industries and activities already identified as strong opportunities for the site, including significant industry clusters in research, applied sciences, and media and entertainment.

The Sunport’s rail spur activation aligns with its strategy as an enterprise fund, expanding revenue sources beyond aeronautical developments without any resources from the general fund.

“No other site in New Mexico has the right geography, infrastructure, and proximity to airfield operations to support an integrated multimodal system like the one we envision,” said Aviation Acting Director Manny Manriquez. “This is a true regional economic development to realize our unfolding vision for logistics and related land-side developments to transform the Sunport into an even larger economic engine for the region.”

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About the Albuquerque International Sunport
Owned and operated by the City of Albuquerque’s Aviation Department, The Albuquerque International Sunport is New Mexico’s largest commercial airport, welcoming over 5.4 million passengers each year. Served by seven major carriers, three cargo carriers and one commuter airline, the Sunport offers nonstop service between ABQ and 32 destinations, with worldwide connectivity. The Albuquerque International Sunport is the Gateway of New Mexico.