THE TOY TRAIN DEPOT IS LOCATED IN ALAMOGORDO NEW MEXICO, 86 MILES NORTH OF EL PASO TEXAS AT THE CONVERGENCE OF 3 MAJOR HIGHWAYS, US 70, US 82, US 54.
THE TOWN WAS FOUNDED BY THE EL PASO AND NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD IN 1898, AND WAS THE LOWER TERMINUS OF THE FAMED ALAMOGORDO/SACRAMENTO MOUNTAIN RAILWAY AKA THE CLOUD CLIMBING ROUTE, THE STEEPEST STANDARD GAUGE RAILROAD IN THE WORLD.
THE ROUTE RAN FROM ALAMOGORDO AT 4300' TO CLOUDCROFT AT 9000' IN JUST UNDER 30 MILES OF TRACKAGE, WITH A RULING GRADE OF OVER 6.5% AND GRADES ON THE BAILEY CANYON SWITCHBACKS AT OVER 12%.
THE ROUTE LASTED FROM 1898 TO 1948 WHEN A NEW HIGHWAY WAS BUILT TO CLOUDCROFT.
FORTUNATELY THE NEW MEXICO HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ELECTED TO LOCATE US HIGHWAY 82, IN THE NEXT CANYON SOUTH OF THE RAILROAD, CONSEQUENTLY MUCH OF THE ROAD BED AND 52 TRESTLES REQUIRED TO GET TO THE MOUNTAIN RESORT ARE STILL STANDING.
