Built by the Burnham, Williams & Co. in 1901, the 1024 was destined to pull Santa Fe trains atop the railroad’s 3% grades that existed between Trinidad, CO and Raton, NM on the La Junta – Albuquerque division. This 209,220 pound beauty was retired in the early 1950s and given to the city of La Junta in 1956 where it was mostly unnoticed as you came into the city on HWY 50. But thanks to a recent move to the site of a future new visitor’s center, the 1024 is now one of the first things greeting motorist as they come into the city.
