Passenger Trains > An Auto-Train observation

The currrent Auto-Train schedule has each section leaving the origin at 4 pm, and arriving the destination at about 9 am. Seventeen hours. The actual operation tends to leave about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

The 1973 schedule has that Auto-Train leaving each terminal at 8 pm, and arriving at the other end 11.30 am.  Fifteen and a half hours.

(March, 1973 Official Guide, page 37)

I believe before, SCL allowed Auto Train 79MPH. Now Amtrak is restricted to 70.

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cabsignal you are correct/ Those U-36b rode very rough at 80.

I bet those U-36-b's were rough riding! Back then, passenger speeds on much of the SCL south of Richmond was 90MPH, and 79 for Auto Train. I believe I've seen photos of the U-36's on the Louisville section of Auto Train, wondering how they stayed on the rails on L&N's modest track.

With a perfect run, the Auto Train today can make in into it's terminus over an hour early, but it rarely happens.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/20 14:55 by cabsignaldrop.

I take the autotrain about 10 times a year (round trip) and I have been on it on 9/11/11 which was sometype of terriots threatened day and there wern't many freight trains that night traveling north and we got into Lorton 2 hours early.  

Many times we get in so early the employees have not shown up for work yet (8am) and we wait there for them to show up and then they allow us off.  90 minutes early happens more than you realize.

amtrakbill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I take the autotrain about 10 times a year (round
> trip) and I have been on it on 9/11/11 which was
> sometype of terriots threatened day and there
> wern't many freight trains that night traveling
> north and we got into Lorton 2 hours early.  
>
> Many times we get in so early the employees have
> not shown up for work yet (8am) and we wait there
> for them to show up and then they allow us off. 
> 90 minutes early happens more than you realize.


Yes.

In my experience, the northbound Auto-Train is more likely to arrive early than the southbound train.  No idea why that would happen, maybe there's a better mix of opposing trains, or a desire to get  Auto-Train put away before the morning commuter rush if it's making very good time.
 

> Back then, passenger speeds on much of the SCL south of Richmond was 90MPH

The last 90 mph running ended in December 1970 -- a year before Auto-Train Corporation began service -- purportedly because SCL didn't want to get stuck maintaining ATS and the track to 90 mph indefinitely under Amtrak. 

Note that prior to the mid-1980s, SCL had both the ex-SAL and ex-ACL routes in place between Richmond and Jacksonville. Now the ex-ACL handles everything. Furthermore, when the north end of th eex-ACL was converted to CTC in the early 1990s, CSX didn't retain as much of the second track as they should have, leading to frequent delays for all trains between Petersburg and Rocky Mount.

 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/20 06:51 by ctillnc.

Lets recall that ONE HOUR was added to the Auto Train's official schedule in the early 2000's!!!! The Silver Service also had a re-schedule done through the Carolinas and George mainly. 

Interesting point about the rough riding U36Bs.   AT's were built to SCL specs including trade-in EMD Blomberg B trucks, same as F's, GPs including passenger, and later, the F40PHs.  What was top speed on a passenger F, surely well north of 100, yes?  So what do you suppose was up with the U36Bs?  Weight or weight distribution?  Or SCL track.

I don't know the answer, but the SCL U-36B's rode rough also. The B36-7's rode much better, and the B40-8's actually rode pretty good at 70.

> What was top speed on a passenger F, surely well north
> of 100, yes? 

Prior to AC traction motors, this was entirely a matter of gearing. Any EMD -- an E, an F or FP, a GP or SD -- could be geared fast or slow. The downside of fast gearing is limited performance on sustained steep grades. Yes, an F/FP/GP/SD with 40-inch wheels could be geared 56:21 for 102 mph, as an example. But few RRs did that. On the other hand, it wasn't uncommon for an E unit with 36-inch wheels to be geared 52:25 for 117 or 55:22 for 98. 

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > What was top speed on a passenger F, surely
> well north
> > of 100, yes? 
>
> Prior to AC traction motors, this was entirely a
> matter of gearing. Any EMD -- an E, an F or FP, a
> GP or SD -- could be geared fast or slow. The
> downside of fast gearing is limited performance on
> sustained steep grades. Yes, an F/FP/GP/SD with
> 40-inch wheels could be geared 56:21 for 102 mph,
> as an example. But few RRs did that. On the other
> hand, it wasn't uncommon for an E unit with
> 36-inch wheels to be geared 52:25 for 117 or 55:22
> for 98. 

gearing is still a limiting factor with ac.....even they have a rotational limit beyond which they would fly apart...so if you want high speed you gear it accordingly, with massive torque however you don't take quite as much a hit on grades.....but you do need sophisticated anti slip algorithms and they alone do much to keep ac locomotives moving.

Yes that's true. It's low speed where there's a big difference. With AC you can get away with a higher gearing like 85:16 (5.3:1 ratio) compared to the old standard 62:15 (4.1:1) for DC road power.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/20 04:44 by ctillnc.