For a solo traveler, the Auto Train may hold less appeal, even though I have done the AT by myself. However for a family the AT holds a lot of charm. Families typically have far more luggage, car seats, need a van/SUV often harder to rent and more expensive. You also get that "are we there yet?" question in the car. On a train it's easier to distract the kids, they can move around, and you're not rushing to find the next rest area. So for a family it makes more sense to consider an AT service to reach a major destination.I've never really seen the appeal of this over renting a car at the destination. I guess if you're taking a trip of more than a week or so, then the auto-train like approach might be cheaper. Or if you've got to transport a lot of stuff... But are those demographics really all that large? I tend to take short trips (< 7 days) and pack lightly, and so do most of the other people I know (although the packing lightly does vary from person to person )Don't forget the "hybrid" option of trains that carry passengers' motor vehicles aboard.
The question/problem is, does that provide enough business to sustain the train. Frankly I'm not so sure that it would. The current AT's saving grace is the snow bird migrations each fall and spring. It's the additional revenue from that which really puts the AT over the top and into the black on operating expenses. So something like that needs to be found to make such a venture successful. One can't just rely on family vacations to provide revenue.