Passenger Trains > Auto-Train getting shorter and shorter...

Today's 53 southbound Auto-Train was the shortest I've ever seen.  Two units, 13 superliners, and 13 auto carriers.  Peak season traffic used to be two locomotives, 19-22 superliners, 27-30 auto carriers.

The paucity of auto carriers suggests that the sleepers were full, coaches were mostly empty.  The bargain fares for northbound coach passengers ($89) suggests there are still bargain buckets open for the return trip.

53(6) had 13+13.  It picked up two auto carriers in Sanford; 52(7) had 13+15.
53(7) had 13+17. 
53(8) has 13+13, as reported; two auto carriers on 52(7) were dropped in Lorton.

As a reference, Amtrak owns 80 auto carriers.  Ten are known out of service, wreck damaged.  Allow more
out of service for routine, scheduled maintenance and unscheduled mechanical repairs.  There should
be sufficient to maintain the normal peak period quantity, but only barely.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/20 16:28 by GenePoon.

Is there any reason why a "freight" enclosed autorack could not be used?

PHall Wrote:
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> Is there any reason why a "freight" enclosed
> autorack could not be used?

That is what was formerly used...the original Auto-Train acquired freight autoracks from Canadian National and eventually had a fleet of tri-levels and bi-levels. Amtrak inherited them when reviving the concept for its own AutoTrain, using them until the current, new-construction auto carriers were built. 

The current auto carriers were built new for a teak in Johnstown pa 

amtrakbill Wrote:
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> The current auto carriers were built new for a
> teak in Johnstown pa 

Hunh????    They paid for them in Teak???

PHall Wrote:
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> Is there any reason why a "freight" enclosed
> autorack could not be used?

I think there is a different type of braking system involved.

With all these cars out of service nationwide, I sure hope Amtrak is taking the opportunity to fix the myriad various nagging issues each car must have. Said issues should all be available on a LONG cumulative report unique to each car.

Skyline Wrote:
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> With all these cars out of service nationwide, I
> sure hope Amtrak is taking the opportunity to fix
> the myriad various nagging issues each car must
> have. Said issues should all be available on a
> LONG cumulative report unique to each car.

Funny how so many people make comments like that just assuming that there are suddenly more personal available to do that work and all those extra spare parts just lying around.

My neighbor is a manager for a road construction/repair company. He told me city managers are calling them asking them to do work now with all the less traffic. They have to keep telling them they are already busy with contracted work in place. Can't just pull more crews and more equipment out of thin air.

FloridaTrainGuy Wrote:
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> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is there any reason why a "freight" enclosed
> > autorack could not be used?
>
> I think there is a different type of braking
> system involved.

What different braking system would that be? Isn't how the brakes release, gradurated or direct, controlled by the brake valve in the locomotive that is in control of the brakes?

Amtrak auto carriers are equipped with tightlock couplers.  If they were not, you would not want to ride that train with 30 times 6 inches or more of slack repeatedly running in and out..