ATSF Socorro, NM Depot

Socorro, NM

The large depot at Socorro is believed to have been built as a two story structure with a one story freight room. The style of the bay window with its own separate roof and the simple chimney with no decorative cap seem to support this theory. By the 1950's, it had been reduced to a single story. Some time in the 1960's was rebuilt with white asbestos siding, apparently the westernmost depot on the system to receive this treatment. The top view shows the depot on the last day of 1984. Note the color-light trainorder signal, which resembled a set of crossing flashers with one green lens and one red. The station survived as an agency for a few more years before being closed. Maintenance of way crews still use the building. In the early 1990's the building was painted tan and the freight dock was removed. The photo below was recorded almost a decade after the top photo.