Aerotrain: Difference between revisions
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The '''''Aerotrain''''' is a streamlined trainset introduced by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in the mid-1950s. It utilized the experimental EMD LWT12 locomotive (essentially a standard EMD SW1200 switcher engine geared for high-speed passenger service and "wrapped in an aerodynamic shell"), coupled to a set of modified General Motors 40-seat intercity bus coach bodies. The cars each rode on two axles with an airbag suspension system, which was intended to give a smooth ride but in practice had the opposite effect. The ''Aerotrain'' was (in its day) one of the few trains that had ever been designed as a single unit, including the locomotive. | The '''''Aerotrain''''' is a streamlined trainset introduced by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the mid-1950s. It utilized the experimental EMD LWT12 locomotive (essentially a standard EMD SW1200 switcher engine geared for high-speed passenger service and "wrapped in an aerodynamic shell"), coupled to a set of modified General Motors 40-seat intercity bus coach bodies. The cars each rode on two axles with an airbag suspension system, which was intended to give a smooth ride but in practice had the opposite effect. The ''Aerotrain'' was (in its day) one of the few trains that had ever been designed as a single unit, including the locomotive. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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Forty-foot-long bus bodies, normally manufactured in 2 four-foot-wide sections joined together, had an 18"-wide strip added up the center to increase the coach's spaciousness. The coaches weighed in at 16 tons each, compared to a 65-ton standard railroad coach that typically seated far fewer than 80 passengers.<ref name=sherlock>Sherlock</ref> Since the cars were not articulated, consists could be (relatively) easily adjusted in order to meet travel demands.<ref name=schafer142>Schafer, p. 142</ref> ''Aerotrain'' coaches rode on 33" diameter wheels and measured 9'-6" wide by 10'-9" high with a center of gravity 45" above the rails, whereas conventional cars rode on 36" diameter wheels and measured 10'-0" wide by 13'-6" high with a center of gravity 55" above the rails.<ref>Hicks, p. 84</ref> Each car sat atop 8 synthetic rubber bellows (two situated at each corner of the car) which maintained the specified floor height at 43" above the rails, the same height as in a regular streamlined passenger car despite the lower overall coach height. Each car was equipped with 20 double-reclining seats, plus sections containing lavatories and small compartments that could be utilized for the preparation or serving of food.<ref>Hicks, p. 83: The two prototype trains had no specific provisions for food service ''en route''.</ref> | Forty-foot-long bus bodies, normally manufactured in 2 four-foot-wide sections joined together, had an 18"-wide strip added up the center to increase the coach's spaciousness. The coaches weighed in at 16 tons each, compared to a 65-ton standard railroad coach that typically seated far fewer than 80 passengers.<ref name=sherlock>Sherlock</ref> Since the cars were not articulated, consists could be (relatively) easily adjusted in order to meet travel demands.<ref name=schafer142>Schafer, p. 142</ref> ''Aerotrain'' coaches rode on 33" diameter wheels and measured 9'-6" wide by 10'-9" high with a center of gravity 45" above the rails, whereas conventional cars rode on 36" diameter wheels and measured 10'-0" wide by 13'-6" high with a center of gravity 55" above the rails.<ref>Hicks, p. 84</ref> Each car sat atop 8 synthetic rubber bellows (two situated at each corner of the car) which maintained the specified floor height at 43" above the rails, the same height as in a regular streamlined passenger car despite the lower overall coach height. Each car was equipped with 20 double-reclining seats, plus sections containing lavatories and small compartments that could be utilized for the preparation or serving of food.<ref>Hicks, p. 83: The two prototype trains had no specific provisions for food service ''en route''.</ref> | ||
The two demonstrator units cost about $1,000,000 each, including design costs.<ref>Hicks, p. 86</ref> The cars themselves cost $40,000 each (or $1,000 per seat) which compared favorably to the $2,200-per-seat cost of a standard passenger car. | The two demonstrator units cost about $1,000,000 each, including design costs.<ref>Hicks, p. 86</ref> It was estimated that the train sets could be produced for $400,000 to $500,000 each if produced in volume. The cars themselves cost $40,000 each (or $1,000 per seat) which compared favorably to the $2,200-per-seat cost of a standard passenger car. | ||
===In service=== | ===In service=== | ||
The two ''Aerotrain'' demonstrator sets, consisting of 1 locomotive (EMD serial numbers 21463 and 21464) and 10 cars each, logged over 600,000 miles (970,000 kilometers) on five different railroads.<ref>Schafer, p. 142: A third locomotive (EMD serial number 20826) was built to power the Rock Island's "Talgo"-style ''Jet Rocket'' streamliner between Chicago and [[Peoria, Illinois]].</ref> In February, 1956 the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] leased ''Aerotrain'' No. 1000 and operated the ''Pennsy Aerotrain'' between [[New York City]] and [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]] until June, then between Pittsburgh and [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | [[Image:GM Aerotrain Here Comes Tomorrow.jpg|thumb|right|300px|{{GM Aerotrain Here Comes Tomorrow.jpg/credit}}<br />HERE COMES TOMORROW --- ''FAST''!<br />A promotional advertisement for GM's ''Aerotrain'' as appeared in the December 10, 1955 issue of the ''Saturday Evening Post''.]] | ||
The two ''Aerotrain'' demonstrator sets, consisting of 1 locomotive (EMD serial numbers 21463 and 21464) and 10 cars each, logged over 600,000 miles (970,000 kilometers) on five different railroads.<ref>Schafer, p. 142: A third locomotive (EMD serial number 20826) was built to power the Rock Island's "Talgo"-style ''Jet Rocket'' streamliner between Chicago and [[Peoria, Illinois]].</ref> In February, 1956 the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] leased ''Aerotrain'' No. 1000 and operated the ''Pennsy Aerotrain'' between [[New York City]] and [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]] until June, then between Pittsburgh and [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] through June of the following year. In the summer of 1957 the train was operated by the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] as the ''City of Las Vegas'' running between Los Angeles and [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]. The [[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] ran ''Aerotrain'' No. 1001 on its "[[Surf Line]]" route between [[Los Angeles]] and [[San Diego]] as one of its ''[[San Diegan]]s'' beginning in March 1956. Its use was soon discontinued because the trainset had to be turned after each trip and required helper locomotives on the Sorrento Grade north of San Diego. No. 1001 was then leased to the [[New York Central Railroad]] as a demonstrator and operated between [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] and [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]]. By the end of 1957 both units had been sold to the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad]] at a substantial discount, where the trains operated in Chicago commuter service until they were retired from service in 1966. GM's president, Harlow H. Curtice, summed up the endeavor as follows: | |||
Despite intentions to the contrary, even routine maintenance on the locomotive section was extremely difficult and time-consuming. | <blockquote>[The company] has no intention of going into the railroad passenger-car-building business. It is primarily interested in the promotion of the use of its diesel motive power and presents the new cars as a service to its customers.</blockquote> | ||
Despite intentions to the contrary, even routine maintenance on the locomotive section was extremely difficult and time-consuming. And rather than cushioning the ride, the air suspension system literally "beat passengers to death." Neither the ''Aerotrain'' nor its postwar brethren succeeded in capturing the imagination of the American public. | |||
===Disposition=== | ===Disposition=== | ||
Revision as of 19:49, 24 August 2013
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![The first Aerotrain, General Motors Electro-Motive Division's experimental super-lightweight streamlined train set, is introduced to the general public at the GM "Powerama" in Chicago in October 1955.[1]](/wiki/File:GM_Aerotrain.jpg) The first Aerotrain, General Motors Electro-Motive Division's experimental super-lightweight streamlined train set, is introduced to the general public at the GM "Powerama" in Chicago in October 1955.[1]
| |
| Model | LWT12 [2] |
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Geographic market(s) | United States |
| Original purchaser(s) | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad New York Central Railroad Pennsylvania Railroad Union Pacific Railroad |
| Designer | General Motors Design (Charles M. "Chuck" Jordan) |
| Builder | General Motors Electro-Motive Division |
| Period produced | 1956 [3] |
| Total produced | 3 [2] |
| Status | Preserved (two in museums) |
| Weight | 175,000 lb [4] |
| AAR wheel arrangement | Bo-1 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) |
| Prime mover | EMD 12-567C [5] |
| Engine type | 2-stroke diesel |
| Power output | 1,200 hp (890 kW) [2] |
| Cylinders | V12 [2] |
| Displacement | 9,072 in³ (148.7 l) |
| Aspiration | Normally-aspirated |
| Transmission | DC generator, DC traction motors |
| Rated top speed | 102 mph (162 km/h) [4] |
| Locomotive brake | Straight air / dynamic |
| Train brakes | Air |
The Aerotrain is a streamlined trainset introduced by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the mid-1950s. It utilized the experimental EMD LWT12 locomotive (essentially a standard EMD SW1200 switcher engine geared for high-speed passenger service and "wrapped in an aerodynamic shell"), coupled to a set of modified General Motors 40-seat intercity bus coach bodies. The cars each rode on two axles with an airbag suspension system, which was intended to give a smooth ride but in practice had the opposite effect. The Aerotrain was (in its day) one of the few trains that had ever been designed as a single unit, including the locomotive.
History
Background
By 1952, American railroads were losing an estimated $700,000 in annual passenger service revenues to air and bus lines, as well as the increasing popularity of the automobile.[6][7] This development drove several railroad companies' attempts to effectively "reinvent" streamlining (considered to be a major revolution in American passenger train travel in the 1930s) in order to reduce equipment investment, operating, and maintenance costs.[8] To achieve these ends the center of gravity was lowered (when compared to state-of-the-art passenger rolling stock) which allowed the trains to operate at higher speeds over existing tracks. As an additional cost-saving measure, existing components were to be used wherever possible. It was hoped that these measures would allow the railroads to be competitive in the medium-distance (200-700 mile) market.
Development
GM's Aerotrain, touted as the "lightweight with a heavyweight future," was the best-known of the postwar experimental streamliners.[3] Following closely on the heels of Pullman-Standard's super-lightweight, articulated "Talgo" train, EMD produced a total of 3 demonstrator units, designated Model LWT12 (for "lightweight, 1,200 horsepower"). The units' automobile styling cues were the work of GM's Special Projects Studio. The unique "turret-cab" car body design was included multiple headlights, a wrap-around windshield, and contrasting color sweep-spear side trim.[9] Modified intercity bus car bodies turned out at GM's Truck & Coach Division in Pontiac, Michigan were used as the basis for the passenger cars, which featured wrap-around back windows and prehensile tail fins on the observation cars.
Forty-foot-long bus bodies, normally manufactured in 2 four-foot-wide sections joined together, had an 18"-wide strip added up the center to increase the coach's spaciousness. The coaches weighed in at 16 tons each, compared to a 65-ton standard railroad coach that typically seated far fewer than 80 passengers.[9] Since the cars were not articulated, consists could be (relatively) easily adjusted in order to meet travel demands.[3] Aerotrain coaches rode on 33" diameter wheels and measured 9'-6" wide by 10'-9" high with a center of gravity 45" above the rails, whereas conventional cars rode on 36" diameter wheels and measured 10'-0" wide by 13'-6" high with a center of gravity 55" above the rails.[10] Each car sat atop 8 synthetic rubber bellows (two situated at each corner of the car) which maintained the specified floor height at 43" above the rails, the same height as in a regular streamlined passenger car despite the lower overall coach height. Each car was equipped with 20 double-reclining seats, plus sections containing lavatories and small compartments that could be utilized for the preparation or serving of food.[11]
The two demonstrator units cost about $1,000,000 each, including design costs.[12] It was estimated that the train sets could be produced for $400,000 to $500,000 each if produced in volume. The cars themselves cost $40,000 each (or $1,000 per seat) which compared favorably to the $2,200-per-seat cost of a standard passenger car.
In service
The two Aerotrain demonstrator sets, consisting of 1 locomotive (EMD serial numbers 21463 and 21464) and 10 cars each, logged over 600,000 miles (970,000 kilometers) on five different railroads.[13] In February, 1956 the Pennsylvania Railroad leased Aerotrain No. 1000 and operated the Pennsy Aerotrain between New York City and Pittsburgh until June, then between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia through June of the following year. In the summer of 1957 the train was operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as the City of Las Vegas running between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway ran Aerotrain No. 1001 on its "Surf Line" route between Los Angeles and San Diego as one of its San Diegans beginning in March 1956. Its use was soon discontinued because the trainset had to be turned after each trip and required helper locomotives on the Sorrento Grade north of San Diego. No. 1001 was then leased to the New York Central Railroad as a demonstrator and operated between Cleveland and Chicago. By the end of 1957 both units had been sold to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad at a substantial discount, where the trains operated in Chicago commuter service until they were retired from service in 1966. GM's president, Harlow H. Curtice, summed up the endeavor as follows:
[The company] has no intention of going into the railroad passenger-car-building business. It is primarily interested in the promotion of the use of its diesel motive power and presents the new cars as a service to its customers.
Despite intentions to the contrary, even routine maintenance on the locomotive section was extremely difficult and time-consuming. And rather than cushioning the ride, the air suspension system literally "beat passengers to death." Neither the Aerotrain nor its postwar brethren succeeded in capturing the imagination of the American public.
Disposition
Today, Aerotrain No. 1000 (now designated as train set No. 2) resides at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, while Aerotrain No. 1001 (now designated as train set No. 3) is on permanent display at the Museum of Transportation in Saint Louis, Missouri.[14]
Legacy
Disneyland operated a scale version of the Aerotrain, known as the Viewliner, from 1957 to 1958 Since 1958, the Washington Park and Zoo Railway in Portland, Oregon has operated a scale, diesel-powered replica of the Aerotrain (dubbed the Zooliner) to transport zoo patrons along a one-mile route around the perimeter of the zoo grounds.
Notes and references
- ↑ (CC) Photo: TrainWeb.com
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Pinkepank, p. 127
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Schafer, p. 142
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hicks, p. 85
- ↑ Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
- ↑ Hicks, p. 81
- ↑ $700,000 equates to approximately $6,170,00 in 2013.
- ↑ Sherlock: In the early 1930s, rail passenger ridership declined by some 41% as a direct result of the Great Depression.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sherlock
- ↑ Hicks, p. 84
- ↑ Hicks, p. 83: The two prototype trains had no specific provisions for food service en route.
- ↑ Hicks, p. 86
- ↑ Schafer, p. 142: A third locomotive (EMD serial number 20826) was built to power the Rock Island's "Talgo"-style Jet Rocket streamliner between Chicago and Peoria, Illinois.
- ↑ Schafer, p. 159