Auto-Train Corporation
Encyclopedia
Auto-Train Corporation was a privately owned railroad which used its own rolling stock
, and traveled on rails leased from major railroads along the route of its trains, serving central Florida
from points in the Mid-Atlantic region near Washington, DC, and the Mid-West near Louisville, Kentucky
, during the 1970s. Despite popularity of the service on its primary route, which parallels busy Interstate 95
along much of the eastern coast of the United States in 5 states, the company failed financially after operating almost 10 years. After a hiatus, a similarly named and operated service (Auto Train
) was begun under the government-financed Amtrak
in 1983, which became one of railroad's most popular services.
, 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, autorack
s, 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 between Lorton, Virginia
and Sanford, Florida
. The service was a big hit with travelers. Before long, the ambitious entrepreneurs of Auto-Train were looking to expand into other markets, and even established a short-lived service between Louisville, Kentucky
, and Sanford, Florida.
Lack of success from the Louisville expansion, high crew costs and several spectacular accidents put Garfield's company into bankruptcy. Auto-Train Corporation was forced to end its services in late April 1981.
(the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), a federally chartered corporation which operates most intercity passenger trains in the United States.
Today, Amtrak's Auto Train
carries about 200,000 passengers and generates around $50 million in revenue annually. It is considered Amtrak's best-paying train, being the top of a handful of Amtrak trains that make a profit.
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
, and traveled on rails leased from major railroads along the route of its trains, serving central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
from points in the Mid-Atlantic region near Washington, DC, and the Mid-West near Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, during the 1970s. Despite popularity of the service on its primary route, which parallels busy Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
along much of the eastern coast of the United States in 5 states, the company failed financially after operating almost 10 years. After a hiatus, a similarly named and operated service (Auto Train
Auto Train
Auto Train is an scheduled train service for passengers and their automobiles operated by Amtrak between Lorton, Virginia , and Sanford, Florida . Although there are similar services around the world, the Auto Train is the only one of its kind in the United States...
) was begun under the government-financed Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
in 1983, which became one of railroad's most popular services.
The original Auto-Train service: 1971-1981
A concept of Auto-Train Corporation founder Eugene K. GarfieldEugene K. Garfield
Eugene Kerik Garfield was an American lawyer who founded the Auto-Train Corporation. Auto-Train became what is now known as Amtrak's Auto Train...
, a former employee of the US Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
, 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, autorack
Autorack
An autorack, also known as an auto carrier, is a specialized piece of railroad rolling stock used to transport automobiles and light trucks, generally from factories to automotive distributors...
s, and a caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
. 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 between Lorton, Virginia
Lorton, Virginia
Lorton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population is 27,709 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:...
and Sanford, Florida
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
. The service was a big hit with travelers. Before long, the ambitious entrepreneurs of Auto-Train were looking to expand into other markets, and even established a short-lived service between Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, and Sanford, Florida.
Lack of success from the Louisville expansion, high crew costs and several spectacular accidents 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 ten 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 AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
(the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), a federally chartered corporation which operates most intercity passenger trains in the United States.
Today, Amtrak's Auto Train
Auto Train
Auto Train is an scheduled train service for passengers and their automobiles operated by Amtrak between Lorton, Virginia , and Sanford, Florida . Although there are similar services around the world, the Auto Train is the only one of its kind in the United States...
carries about 200,000 passengers and generates around $50 million in revenue annually. It is considered Amtrak's best-paying train, being the top of a handful of Amtrak trains that make a profit.
External links
- ThemeTrains.com - The Story of the 1971-1981 auto-train
- Bill's Railroad Empire - the original Auto-Train page n-scale modeling
- George Elwood's Fallen Flags site, original Auto-Train pages lots 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
- Diesel Shop rail photo site photo of Auto-Train diesel-electric locomotive when almost new
- Orlando Sentinel newspaper article about Auto-Train Corp and Amtrak's Auto Train replacement
- Orlando Sentinel article on Sanford Terminal renovation