One of the individuals who helped save the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad died Aug. 23 at the age of 87 of prostate cancer.
Carl Turner, of Santa Fe served as a state representative for a single term, representing Socorro County, before serving as the first executive manager of the state Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Turner left his mark in Rio Arriba County specifically by advocating for the Railroad in the late 1960s. He helped find support for the agreement between New Mexico and Colorado that created the scenic railroad and served on the Railroad’s Commission.
Joe Vigil, of Chama, has been friends with Turner since 1960.
“We drummed up the support that we could, and eventually it became a reality,” Vigil said.
Turner served on the Scenic Railroad Commission on and off until 2006, and a parlor car was named after him in 2007. Vigil said, when he was managing the Railroad on a “temporary” basis (for more than 10 years), it was good to have Turner on his side.
“We worked in concert. It was very good to have the backing of the commission,” Vigil said.
He said the last time he saw Turner was on the snowy Memorial Day weekend when the Railroad opened for business this year.
Turner is survived by his wife, Patricia “PJ” Johnson Turner of Santa Fe; sons, Kim Monroe Turner of Rockford, Illinois; William Shiloh Turner and James Zebulon Turner, both of Santa Fe; daughter Alexandra Turner Dadio, of Pennsylvania; step-daughter Cindy Shewmake, of Salem; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces.