The year was 1977 and the AutoTrain company business was booming. Dr Eugene Garfield, the AT CEO decided that a midwesten route for the AutoTrain would be the next logical step in the companies expansion plans. Passenger traffic on the Lorton to Sanford run was exploding and it was time to grow the business. By this time Amtrak was well on its way to becoming the exclusive US passenger rail carrier and the AT company made a proposal to have the Floridian carry the AutoTrain from Louisville KY to Sanford Fl. The Floridain route originated in Chicago and headed South through Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Birminghan, through southern Georgia to Jacksonville and then want on the current AT route to Sanford.
This new AutoTrain proposal proved a disaster for both the Floridian and the AutoTrain Corporation. After only 8 months of operation the AT midwest route was abandoned. Shortly thereafter the AutoTrain Corporation declared bankruptsy and within two years the Floridan was also gone.
So why did this all happen?
First off the AutoTrain Corporation made arrangements for Amtrak to carry it. As a result Amtrak stopped running the Floridian into downtown Louisville Union station and instead diverted through a large frieght yard outside of town to pick up the AT consist. It posed problems and Amtrak lost ridership from Lousiville because of this. Secondly the switching operations now posed by the AutoTrain at Lousiville and Sanford added two hours to the already long schedule and made the Floridian perpetually late. Last of all the track conditions on the former L & N route had deteriorated to the point where a horrific derailment caused loss of much AutoTrains RR equipment. By the end of 1977 the AT midwest route was gone and Amtrak rerouted the Floridan through Atlanta as a final attempt to keep the route viable. The new route through caused more lack of ridership and eventually was abandoned. Within ayear of this AutoTrain corporation also ceased to exist.
The question remains as to whether the AT accomodation idea killed the Floridian or whether the reroute through Atlanta was the primary cause.
This new AutoTrain proposal proved a disaster for both the Floridian and the AutoTrain Corporation. After only 8 months of operation the AT midwest route was abandoned. Shortly thereafter the AutoTrain Corporation declared bankruptsy and within two years the Floridan was also gone.
So why did this all happen?
First off the AutoTrain Corporation made arrangements for Amtrak to carry it. As a result Amtrak stopped running the Floridian into downtown Louisville Union station and instead diverted through a large frieght yard outside of town to pick up the AT consist. It posed problems and Amtrak lost ridership from Lousiville because of this. Secondly the switching operations now posed by the AutoTrain at Lousiville and Sanford added two hours to the already long schedule and made the Floridian perpetually late. Last of all the track conditions on the former L & N route had deteriorated to the point where a horrific derailment caused loss of much AutoTrains RR equipment. By the end of 1977 the AT midwest route was gone and Amtrak rerouted the Floridan through Atlanta as a final attempt to keep the route viable. The new route through caused more lack of ridership and eventually was abandoned. Within ayear of this AutoTrain corporation also ceased to exist.
The question remains as to whether the AT accomodation idea killed the Floridian or whether the reroute through Atlanta was the primary cause.
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