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Summer Early Bird Special: Save on all Summer Break Camps when you register between February 2 and 8. (Note: The Early Bird discount applies to Summer camps only and is available to everyone!). SPECIAL PROMO CODES: 2026EARLYBIRD5 for full-week camps and 2026EARLYBIRD4 for four-day camps



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      Science on Tap: New Mexico Railroads at the Dawn of the Nuclear Age

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      Friday, February 13 | Doors Open at 5:30 | Presentation Begins 6:00

      In the 1940s, New Mexico’s railroads were the unsung lifelines of the Manhattan Project. More than just transit lines, they were essential arteries that moved the personnel, materials, and ideas necessary to end World War II.

      From the leadership of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to the watchful eyes of female station agents on the front lines of logistics, the railroad industry was woven into the fabric of the war effort. These high-stakes operations did more than secure a victory; they pioneered the logistics and safety protocols that still define modern rail operations 80 years later.

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      ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

      Fred Friedman

      is a renowned historian of New Mexico’s rail heritage with a career spanning decades of public service and scholarship. As the former head of the New Mexico Railroad Bureau and a board member of the Historical Society of New Mexico, he possesses a unique perspective on how the tracks have shaped the state’s identity.

      A prolific lecturer and author, Fred has explored a diverse range of topics, from the contributions of Native American railroad workers to the evolution of short-line logistics and the disappearance of the iconic caboose. Beyond the archives, he brings technical rigor to the field, having served as a railroad accident inspector and an expert legal witness.