Riders took 45,207 fewer one-way trips on the Rail Runner Express in the second quarter of this year compared to April, May and June of last year, new figures show. At the same time, the fiscal year that ended June 30 was the most successful for the commuter train.

The second-quarter numbers are the first true comparison of riders during a time in which free rides were not offered. For much of the first quarter of 2009, Santa Fe residents rode without paying.

Between the second quarter of last year and the second quarter of this year, one-way ridership dropped from 329,874 to 284,667, according to numbers released by the rail system.

Train project manager Chris Blewett said the state of the economy, coupled with fairly low gas prices, could be behind the dip.

But, he said, overall, he's pleased with the numbers.

"We're still pretty happy with where we are right now," he said Thursday.

"I wouldn't anticipate a continuing decline in ridership," he said. "I think it's at a place where it's going to be steady for a while."

Critics say the train's novelty is wearing off and the state soon won't be able to afford it.

Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, said he suspects the train attracted many one-time visitors who never went back.

"A lot of people, both tourists and New Mexico residents, took the train once or twice because they thought it was a fun and new, a neat way to see a difference perspective on the way up to Santa Fe," he said.

"But it's just not a convenient form of transportation for the day-to-day person. That's what it boils down to," he said.

Despite a schedule that some say doesn't work for people beyond those who work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in offices close to train stops, ridership is up for the 2010 fiscal year, compared to 2009.

For the 2009 fiscal year, 1,083,003 riders took the train while 1,240,016 rode the rails in 2010.

But the June numbers dropped. Riders took 120,269 trips last year, compared to 102,895 for the same month this year.

Looking ahead, Gessing said getting rid of the train "definitely has to be on the table.

"You can do it much more effectively with some kind of bus system between various places like Albuquerque and Santa Fe. We're never going to get the $400 million back, but we have to realize we can't afford the $18 to $20 million annual operating costs."

To the contrary, Blewett said officials are making improvements to the system to attract more riders, including adding buses at the N.M. 599 stop that go to the National Guard, the state prison and Rancho Viejo.

More buses will be added to meet the trains in Los Lunas and Belen. The Rail Runner Express is also working with large employers to find ways to accommodate employee train commutes.

In addition, the rail system's budget for the coming year doesn't include any price increases, Blewett said. The cost to ride on weekends did recently rise by $1 on a one-way ticket.

While the train earlier this year added a stop at Kewa Pueblo (formerly Santo Domingo Pueblo), it won't be adding trains at Sandia Pueblo any time soon, as no funding currently exists for a station there, Blewett said.

The busiest month to date for the train, January 2009, was during a time when service was free to Santa Fe County residents. That lasted through March, and February and March were among the busiest months to date.

The first-quarter ridership numbers also dipped. Compared with the first quarter of 2009, riders took 65,864 fewer one-way trips, down to a total of 281,036 in 2010.

Train service in the metro Albuquerque corridor started in July 2006. The Rail Runner began service from Albuquerque to Santa Fe in December 2008.

Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Udall announced Thursday that the Albuquerque transit department will get $6.7 million in federal Department of Transportation funding to build a new intermodal center. The center will provide a new connection between ABQ Ride buses and the Rail Runner Express, according to a statement.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog at www.greenchilechatter.com.