HELLO DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MODEL THE AMTRAK AUTOTRAIN IN HO SCALE I KNOW IT WAS AN ARTICLE IN MODELRAILROADER SO I WAS WONDERING WHAT MAGAZINE YEAR IT WAS AND IF SOMEONE COULD TELL ME WHAT MODEL RAILROADER SAYS TO BUY TO MAKE THE TRAIN SHORTER. IF YOU COULD HELP THAT WOULD BE GREAT THANKS. SEAN
I remember an article on the Autotrain around the time it started as a private company. SInce I rode it in 1975 I would guess it was sometime before that like 1972-1974. If they have done one about the Amtrak version i missed it. The article I am refering to had excellent references on how to modfiy cars (mostly Rivarossi) to duplicate the train.
Use a p42 any phase as long as it is AMtrak, then use some superliners(coaches, sleepers, diners, etc). Ater you can get Autotrain cars on page 20 of the Walthers May, 2004 issue. Hope this is helpful.
Here’s some suggestions for you. I agree with FTHunder11 lead with atleast one p42, athearn makes them and they also come in dummy. Most amtrak trains run two engines now one for actually moving the train and one to power the hep for the electricty and other features in the cars trailing behind it. Then it’s a long line of superliners pick and choose which ones you like. Most likely a transitional sleeper first than the sky’s the limit. After the superliners then it’s just auto carriers after that. Since this is the longest train at over a mile you’ll juts have to figure out how long your layout can handle. In the walthers 2004 catalog the auto carriers are on page 110.
If you plan to modeling a station the only extra thing you need is a couple stub end tracks with a auto unloader which I believe walthers makes.
Good Luck and post some pictures I would love to see the train when your done. I actually tried to put one into my plan butt my room wasn’t large enough.
I remember it being like the June 2000 Issiue of Model railroader. Has the complete consist information there.
James.
Here’s the result when you use “autotrain” as the search term in the Index of Magazines:
Questions and answers about autotrain Trains, February 1962, page 38
would it be practical to piggyback automobiles and people? ( AUTOTRAIN, “EDSON, WILLIAM D.”, TRN )
Paint Shop: Auto-train S-12 Switcher Model Railroader, December 1974, page 23 ( AUTO, AUTOTRAIN, “HEDIGER, JIM”, PAINT, PAINTSHOP, S12, MR )
A railroad service you can model - Auto-Train Model Railroader, December 1974, page 46 ( AUTO, AUTOTRAIN, DRAWING, “HEDIGER, JIM”, PASSENGER, PROTOTYPE, MR )
Santa Fe/Auto Train big domes Railroad Model Craftsman, April 1974, page 45 ( ATSF, AUTOTRAIN, DOME, PASSENGER, “TRAGER, GEORGE T.”, PROTOTYPE, RMC )
This highway is not on your oil company map Trains, December 1974, page 22 Auto-Train to Florida ( AUTO, AUTOTRAIN, “HEDIGER, JIM”, TRN )
Auto-Train car interiors Model Railroader, January 1975, page 60 ( AUTO, AUTOTRAIN, “HEDIGER, JIM”, PASSENGER, MR )
Chasing the sun on Amtrak’s Auto Train Trains, December 1992, page 46
Amtrak’s most profitable train ( AMTK, AUTOTRAIN, “JOHNSTON, BOB”, LIMITED, PASSENGER, TRN )
Amtrak’s Auto Train Model Railroading, May 1996, page 31 ( AMTK, AUTOTRAIN, “FOREST, RICHARD”, REVIEW, VIDEO, MRG )
Those seats are sure uncomfortable for sleeping, but it sure beats driving on Interstate 95. Strangely, the search engine didn’t find the June 2000 MR article.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
Got off my duff after lunch and checked my back issues for the missing article, and it is:
“Amtrak’s Auto Train terminal at Lorton, VA: A prototype you can model,” Model Railroader, May 2000, pages 66-69, John McKeeman
Article gives consist, covers operations and makes suggestions for modeling the Lorton terminal.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
OK I’m bringing this back one more time. In the 2004 walthers page 110 it has a list of a smaller version of the auto train. It says 2 sleepers, one lounge, one diner, 2 coaches all superliners of course, and 4 auto racks.
Hope this helps even though it’s been a while.
Andy