By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – For more than three decades, Leba Freed has worked to preserve a piece of Albuquerque history that helped shape the city itself. As president of WHEELS Museum, Freed has helped transform a preservation effort at the Albuquerque Rail Yards into a museum dedicated to telling the story of transportation and its role in New Mexico’s development. Located at the historic Santa Fe Railroad Shops in Barelas, WHEELS brings that history to life through more than 10,000 items ranging from model trains and antique automobiles to a full-size movie train car and a 58-foot glider. For Freed, though, preserving that history is also personal, rooted in her family’s connection to Albuquerque and a desire to share the city and state she loves with visitors.
WHEELS Museum grew out of an effort to preserve an important piece of Albuquerque’s railroad history. What first inspired you to get involved in saving this history and building the museum into what it is today?
I was inspired to save the Rail Yards and create WHEELS because of the kindness of the people of Albuquerque and New Mexico, our family’s love of the community and acceptance in 1920 as refugees into Albuquerque. Our history and cultures are unique, fascinating and important for the world to understand. WHEELS has had over 300,000 visitors, and we try to “sell” them all on our state – not a difficult task as all visitors love it here. The railroad brought workers from 27 counties and we are the delicious melting pot.
From railroads and automobiles to model trains and other modes of transportation, WHEELS tells a much larger story about how Albuquerque and New Mexico developed. What do you hope visitors understand differently about the city after spending time at the museum?
We want our visitors to study all the educational materials we provide, while they enjoy our more than 10,000 items. We have a taking buggy, a train with rides around the museum including bubbles instead of steam, historic photos and archives, a full-size movie train car, antique autos including Jaguars, Mustangs and many others. Even the real “Better Call Saul” car with bullet holes. We have airplanes and recently hung a 58-foot glider. WHEELS is a place to learn, laugh and feel the sentiment of the past as we make progress for the future. Our acronym is Wwe have everything everyone loves spinning.” We are about the progress of society through moving.
After more than three decades of work on WHEELS, what are you most excited about when you think about the museum’s future and its place at the Albuquerque Rail Yards?
We have grown year by year and now are forced to turn down important legacy items. We have made an agreement with the City for a second building on the Rail Yards, the former Babbitt and Welding Shop. This will be used for more educational programs. We do programs weekly and need more space for field trips, seniors, etc. Book signings and many scholarly and interesting programs. We also will do revolving exhibits in the space. We are holding a fundraiser on November 14 in the New Media Academy on site and hope for the interest of all the community.
The WHEELS museum (1100 Second St. SW) is open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is closed Friday. The museum recently extended its Thursday hours to 4 p.m., giving visitors more time to explore its collection and Albuquerque’s transportation history.