The original Auto-Train service: 1971-1981
A concept of Auto-Train Corporation founder Eugene K. Garfield, a former employee of the US Department of Transportation, the novel approach allowed families to relax en route and save the expense and unfamiliarity of a rental car on arrival. The Auto-Train consists included passenger cars, autoracks, and a caboose. Although the company had its own locomotives and rolling stock, Auto-Train Corporation trains initially operated on Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) and Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (RF&P) tracks.Auto-Train Corporation's new service began operations on December 6, 1971. The service was a big hit with travelers. Before long, the ambitious entrepreneurs of Auto-Train were looking to expand into other markets. However, only the Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida service proved successful.
High crew costs, several spectacular accidents, and an unprofitable expansion put Garfield's company into bankruptcy. Auto-Train Corporation was forced to end its services in late April, 1981.
Amtrak revives service
Operating for almost 10 years, Auto-Train had developed a popular following, particularly among older travelers as it ferried passengers and their cars between Virginia and Florida. No one else offered a service quite like that of Auto-Train Corporation until after a gap of almost two years, service was revived by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, a federally-chartered corporation which operates most intercity passenger trains in the United States. .Today, Amtrak's version, the slightly-renamed Auto Train, carries about 200,000 passengers and generates around $50 million in revenue annually. It is considered Amtrak's best-paying train in terms of income in comparison with operating expenses.
See also
External links
- the official Amtrak website
- Bill's Railroad Empire - the original Auto-Train page n-scale modeling
- George Elwood's Fallen Flags site, original Auto-Train pageslots of locomotive and rolling stock photos
- from a 1971 Auto-Train Corp. brochure, including information on the 2nd short-lived Auto-Train route (Louisville-Sanford service)
- Pictures of Auto-Train U36B locomotives
- a Yahoo group for Auto Train Enthusiasts
- Diesel Shop rail photo site photo of Auto-Train diesel-electric locomotive when almost new
- photos and data, Amtrak autoracks
- Orlando Sentinel newspaper article about Auto-Train Corp and Amtrak's Auto Train replacement
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Thursday September 11, 2008 at 21:10:45 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
The original Auto-Train service: 1971-1981
A concept of Auto-Train Corporation founder Eugene K. Garfield, a former employee of the US Department of Transportation, the novel approach allowed families to relax en route and save the expense and unfamiliarity of a rental car on arrival. The Auto-Train consists included passenger cars, autoracks, and a caboose. Although the company had its own locomotives and rolling stock, Auto-Train Corporation trains initially operated on Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) and Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (RF&P) tracks.Auto-Train Corporation's new service began operations on December 6, 1971. The service was a big hit with travelers. Before long, the ambitious entrepreneurs of Auto-Train were looking to expand into other markets. However, only the Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida service proved successful.
High crew costs, several spectacular accidents, and an unprofitable expansion put Garfield's company into bankruptcy. Auto-Train Corporation was forced to end its services in late April, 1981.
Amtrak revives service
Operating for almost 10 years, Auto-Train had developed a popular following, particularly among older travelers as it ferried passengers and their cars between Virginia and Florida. No one else offered a service quite like that of Auto-Train Corporation until after a gap of almost two years, service was revived by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, a federally-chartered corporation which operates most intercity passenger trains in the United States. .Today, Amtrak's version, the slightly-renamed Auto Train, carries about 200,000 passengers and generates around $50 million in revenue annually. It is considered Amtrak's best-paying train in terms of income in comparison with operating expenses.
See also
External links
- the official Amtrak website
- Bill's Railroad Empire - the original Auto-Train page n-scale modeling
- George Elwood's Fallen Flags site, original Auto-Train pageslots of locomotive and rolling stock photos
- from a 1971 Auto-Train Corp. brochure, including information on the 2nd short-lived Auto-Train route (Louisville-Sanford service)
- Pictures of Auto-Train U36B locomotives
- a Yahoo group for Auto Train Enthusiasts
- Diesel Shop rail photo site photo of Auto-Train diesel-electric locomotive when almost new
- photos and data, Amtrak autoracks
- Orlando Sentinel newspaper article about Auto-Train Corp and Amtrak's Auto Train replacement
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Thursday September 11, 2008 at 21:10:45 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation
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