Editing Incubator escapee wiki:Annotated article (section)

==Auto Train: combining autoracks and passenger cars==
===Auto-Train Corp: a privately funded innovation===

On [[December 6]], [[1971]] [[Auto-Train Corporation]] introduced a new and innovative rail transportation service for ''both'' passengers ''and'' their automobiles in the United States, operating scheduled service between [[Lorton, Virginia]] (near [[Washington, D.C.]]) and [[Sanford, Florida]], near [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]].

The [[Auto-Train Corporation|Auto Train]] offered an alternative to motorists who would otherwise drive their automobiles the 855-[[mile]] (1375 [[kilometer|km]]) distance along the east coast of the U.S. For vacationers with destinations at one or more of the many popular tourist attractions of Florida, the [[Auto-Train Corporation|Auto Train]] service offered dual features:

# avoid the long automobile ride on busy [[Interstate 95]] in [[Virginia]], [[North Carolina]], [[South Carolina]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and [[Florida]]
# have the convenience of use of their own automobile upon arrival.

From the beginning in 1971 (the same year [[Amtrak]] began service on purely passenger routes in the US), a key feature of [[Auto-Train Corporation|Auto-Train]]'s new service was the use of autoracks, which were former [[Canadian National Railway|Canadian National]] bi-level autorack cars acquired used. These were augmented by new tri-level auto-racks in 1976.

The privately owned service became very popular, but after 10 years of operation, and some costly attempts to expand the service elsewhere (such as a schedule between Florida and [[Chicago, Illinois]]), Auto-Train Corporation entered bankruptcy, and service ended in April 1981.

===''Amtrak's Auto Train: federally sponsored service''===
In current operation of Amtrak's [[Auto Train (Amtrak)|Auto Train]], there are two trains in operation simultaneously. The autoracks normally run on the rear of Auto Train [[consist]]s, which stretch over a quarter-mile, and are a familiar sight on [[CSX Transportation|CSX]] trackage along the east coast.

Today, Amtrak's Auto Train carries about 200,000 passengers and generates around $50 million in revenue annually. It is considered Amtrak's best-paying train in terms of income in comparison with operating expenses.