Nope, no Pennsy content here! I've always been a closet Auto Train fan, ever since it was first featured in Model Railroader in December 1972 and January 1973. I had the privilege of riding the train later in 1973.
Auto-Train Corporation (reporting mark AUT) 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 Midwest near Louisville, Kentucky, during the 1970s. Despite the popularity of the service on its primary route, which parallels busy Interstate 95 along much of the eastern coast of the United States in five states, the company failed financially after operating for 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 the railroad's most popular services.
auto-train
by Doug Riddell
Published in 2016 by Doug Riddell with the underwriting of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Historical Society, auto-train is the definitive work on the auto-train Corp. story to date.
At 218 pages, the book is filled with tales of the auto-train, from its first days to its last -- all lavishly illustrated with hundreds of color photos.
Auto-Train in Color
by George W. Hamlin
Auto-Train In Color includes both the earlier red, white, & purple private-enterprise version commencing in the early 1970s as well as the more recent Amtrak operation. The equipment, facilities, and operations of both are featured, both trackside and onboard as they carry passengers and their automobiles between Virginia and Florida.
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Auto-Train Consists
Auto-Train Videos
Auto-Train in HO Scale
Roster
The HO scale models listed below and marked with an asterisk will require custom painting and lettering.
Road Units |
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Road # |
S/N |
Built |
Model |
Builder |
Notes |
HO Model |
|
4000 |
38031 |
11/71 |
U36B |
GE |
Named “Big Red” |
Atlas #4000, 4002, 4005, 4006, 4009, 4010, 4012. Bachmann #4000. Athearn #4000. |
|
4001 |
38032 |
Wrecked 5/13/73 at Hortense, GA; scrapped |
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4002 |
38033 |
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4003 |
38034 |
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4004 |
38035 |
Wrecked 5/13/73 at Hortense, GA; scrapped |
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4005 |
38744 |
12/72 |
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4006 |
38745 |
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4007 |
38746 |
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4008 |
38747 |
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4009 |
38748 |
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4010 |
39844 |
05/74 |
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4011 |
39845 |
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4012 |
39846 |
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Switcher Units |
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Road # |
S/N |
Built |
Model |
Builder |
Notes |
HO Model |
|
621 |
75674 |
05/52 |
S12 |
Baldwin |
Ex-Erie 621; Purchased 1972; Named “Gene” |
Bowser * |
|
622 |
70291 |
12/44 |
VO1000 |
Ex-US Navy 65-00059; Purchased 1973; Named “Pam” |
Bowser * Broadway Limited * |
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623 |
71542 |
11/45 |
Ex-WP 583; Purchased in 1973 |
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624 |
71528 |
10/45 |
Ex-WP 581; Purchased in 1973; Named “Lou” |
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Rolling Stock |
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Car # |
Present Car Type |
Former Owner |
Former # |
Former Car Type |
Builder |
Built |
HO Model |
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1 |
Business |
ATSF |
3217 |
Parlor-observation; rblt by SAL to business car Birmingham in 1948; renamed Southland in 1953; to SCL in 1967 |
PS |
1914 |
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2 |
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Edna II |
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3-71 |
Auto-carriers |
CN |
730000 Series |
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CC&F |
1956-58 |
Bachmann (un-numbered). Walthers (three numbers) #33. |
|
130 |
Steam Generator |
BN; GN |
1 |
Steam generator |
GN |
1929 |
|
|
131 |
2 |
Baggage; converted by BN in 1943 |
ACF |
1913 |
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132 |
3 |
Steam generator |
StL |
1928 |
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133 |
4 |
Steam generator |
StL |
1928 |
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134 |
9 |
Boxcar; converted by GN in 1951 |
GN |
1948 |
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135 |
WP |
801 SILVER BEAVER
|
Baggage |
Budd |
1948 |
Broadway Limited #1492 Zephyr WP Baggage Car #802 SILVER STAG. * | |
|
136 |
ATSF |
3933 |
Baggage |
PS |
1965 |
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137 |
3932 |
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138 |
3926 |
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201 |
Sleeper |
ATSF |
Regal Arms |
4-4-2 |
ACF |
1950 |
Walthers #9015 85' P-S REGAL Series 4-4-2 Sleeper -- Santa Fe.* |
|
202 |
Regal Corps |
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203 |
Regal Court |
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204 |
Regal Elm |
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205 |
Regal Gate |
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206 |
Regal Gulf |
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301 |
UP |
Ocean Sands |
5-2-2 |
ACF |
1953 |
Walthers #9510 Union Pacific City Streamliner Car -- 5-5-2 Ocean Series Sleeper.* | |
|
302 |
Ocean View |
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303 |
Ocean Mist |
PS |
1955 |
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304 |
Ocean Scene |
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305 |
Ocean Sunset |
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N/A |
L&N |
Whispering Pine |
6-6-4 |
PS |
1953 |
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N/A |
Short Leaf Pine |
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N/A |
Green Pine |
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460 |
Mini-Dome Coach |
WP |
Silver Dollar |
Dome-coach |
Budd |
1948 |
Broadway Limited #538 SILVER SCOUT, #1496 SILVER THISTLE. * |
|
461 |
Silver Feather |
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462 |
Silver Palace |
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463 |
Silver Sage |
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|
464 |
Silver Thistle |
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470 |
Silver Schooner |
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471 |
Silver Scout |
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|
510 |
Full-Dome Coach-Dorm |
ATSF |
554 |
Dome-lounge-dorm |
Budd |
1954 |
Walthers #9324 85' Budd Big Dome Bar Lounge Dorm - Standard - San Francisco Chief -- Santa Fe #550-555.* |
|
511 |
555 |
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512 |
550 |
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513 |
551 |
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514 |
552 |
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515 |
553 |
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520 |
Full-Dome Coach |
ATSF |
508 |
Dome-lounge |
Budd |
1954 |
Walthers #9462 85' Budd Big Dome Bar Lounge - Standard - 1954 El Capitan -- Santa Fe #506-513.* |
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521 |
509 |
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522 |
510 |
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523 |
511 |
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524 |
513 |
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540 |
Full-Dome Night Club |
ATSF |
507 |
Dome-lounge |
Budd |
1954 |
Walthers #9462 85' Budd Big Dome Bar Lounge - Standard - 1954 El Capitan -- Santa Fe #506-513.* Bachmann #541. |
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541 |
512 |
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542 |
Maxi-Dome Night Club |
UP |
9007 |
Dome-buffet-lounge-observation |
ACF |
1955 |
Walthers #9600 Union Pacific(R) City Streamliner Car -- Observation-Dome-Lounge #9000-9014.* |
|
543 |
9011 |
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570 |
Buffet |
N&W; Wabash |
1837; 1430 |
Coach |
ACF |
1950 |
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572 |
1835; 1428 |
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574 |
1836; 1429 |
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576 |
1834; 1427 |
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580 |
WP |
Silver Palm |
16-section sleeper; coach |
Budd |
1948 |
Broadway Limited #152 #872 SILVER POPLAR.* | |
|
582 |
Silver Poplar |
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|
590 |
Movie-Buffet |
SCL |
5990; ex-ACL St. Petersburg; ex-C&O 1971 |
Diner |
Budd |
1948 |
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|
591 |
Kitchen-Dorm |
5991; ex-ACL 127; ex-C&O 1941 |
Kitchen-dorm |
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592 |
Movie-Buffet |
5992; ex-ACL Winter Haven; ex-C&O 1970 |
Diner |
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593 |
Kitchen-Dorm |
5993; ex-ACL 128; ex-C&O 1940 |
Kitchen-dorm |
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|
594 |
Movie-Buffet |
5994; ex-ACL Fort Myers; ex-C&O 1972 |
Diner |
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595 |
Kitchen-Dorm |
5995; ex-ACL 129; ex-C&O 1942 |
Kitchen-dorm |
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|
596 |
Movie-Buffet |
5996; ex-ACL Port Tampa; ex-C&O Swan Tavern |
Diner |
PS |
1950 |
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|
597 |
Kitchen-Dorm |
5997; ex-ACL 125; ex-C&O Swan Kitchen |
Kitchen-dorm |
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|
598 |
Movie-Buffet |
5998; ex-ACL Winter Park; ex-C&O Postlethwait’s Tavern |
Diner |
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599 |
Kitchen-Dorm |
5999; ex-ACL 126; ex-C&O Postlethwait’s Kitchen |
Kitchen-dorm |
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|
602 |
Sleeper |
SCL; SAL |
Bay Pines |
4-4-5-1 |
Budd |
1955 |
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604 |
Cedartown |
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606 |
Pinehurst |
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|
700 |
Maxi-Dome Night Club |
UP |
7000 |
Dome-coach |
ACF |
1955 |
Walthers #9580 Union Pacific City Streamliner Car -- Dome-Coach #7000-7009.* |
|
701 |
7001 |
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702 |
7002 |
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703 |
7003 |
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704 |
7005 |
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705 |
7007 |
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706 |
7009 |
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707 |
7011 |
PS |
1958 |
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708 |
7012 |
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709 |
7015 |
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|
800 |
8000 |
Dome-diner |
ACF |
1955 |
Walthers #9590 Union Pacific City Streamliner Car -- Dome-Diner #8000-8009.* | ||
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801 |
8001 |
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802 |
8002 |
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803 |
8004 |
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804 |
8005 |
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805 |
8006 |
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806 |
8007 |
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807 |
8008 |
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808 |
8009 |
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|
900 |
9000 |
Dome-buffet-lounge-observation |
Walthers #9600 Union Pacific City Streamliner Car -- Observation-Dome-Lounge #9000-9014.* | ||||
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901 |
9001 |
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902 |
9002 |
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903 |
9003 |
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|
904 |
9005 |
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|
905 |
9006 |
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907 |
9008 |
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908 |
9009 |
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909 |
9010 |
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911 |
9012 |
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912 |
9013 |
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913 |
9014 |
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