CUBERO, New Mexico — Interstate 40, the main east-west trucking route across New Mexico, has reopened after flooding shut it down on Saturday evening, the New Mexico State Police reported, according to Trains Magazine. The highway, which parallels BNSF Railway's Southern Transcon through the area, was closed as heavy rain pushed the Rio San Jose over its banks between Marmon and Laguna.

Source: Trains Magazine (Trains.com)

At the height of the closure on Saturday night, October 24, the interstate was shut in both directions near Cubero between mile markers 102 and 108, around Exit 104 between Grants and Albuquerque, with no official detour available, according to reporting at the time based on the New Mexico Department of Transportation and KOB 4 viewer images showing semi-trucks stuck in deep water. The old Route 66 alignment, normally a parallel alternative, was also flooded and closed.

The railway was hit harder. BNSF's main line was most seriously affected between mileposts 69.7 and 72.7 on Saturday and into Sunday, with water in places over the rails, Trains reported. Water receded on Sunday and crews began clearing debris and replacing ballast. BNSF spokesman Zak Andersen said the railway projected opening its first route at 8 p.m. CST on Sunday evening and its second route at 2 a.m. CST on Monday morning. BNSF runs an average of 59 freight trains a day over the Gallup Subdivision, according to RailState data cited by Trains.

Source: Trains Magazine (Trains.com)

Amtrak cancelled its Southwest Chief passenger trains because of the shutdown. Train No. 3 that departed Chicago on October 23 was cancelled between Albuquerque and Los Angeles, the October 24 departure was cancelled west of Kansas City, and Train No. 4 that departed Los Angeles on October 24 was cancelled between Barstow, California, and Chicago; Sunday's Southwest Chief departures from both Chicago and Los Angeles were also cancelled, Amtrak said in service alerts reported by Trains.

Source: Trains Magazine (Trains.com)

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque said local law enforcement reported up to 3.5 inches of rain, with radar estimates of 3 to 8 inches over the area in three days. Places expected to see flooding include Grants, Laguna Pueblo, New Laguna, Cubero, Mesita, San Fidel, Skyline-Ganipa, McCartys, Paraje and Seama. A flood warning for the Cubero area runs until 3:30 p.m. MDT on Monday, according to the Weather Channel's Cubero alert listing, and trucking outlet CDLWire reported on Sunday that Interstate 40 was open again near Cubero while the Rio San Jose flood warning had been extended to Monday afternoon, with numerous local roads still closed.

Source: CDLWire