THE WORLD‘S LARGEST CABOOSE

For a new Canadian National service Car Go Rail, “Auto with you“ Plan.

In 1971 Eugene Garfield had started the Auto Train Corporation and began buying equipment including 70 double deck automobile transporters from Canadian National.

Before entering servi8ce on the new auto-train the cars were upgraded with high speed BX express trucks, D-22 brakes and F couplers for use in passenger service.

Image: Richard Wright 

A log truck fails to stop at a grade crossing plowing Into the second locomotive derailing 28 of the 30 cars on the train that morning. At the top of the picture is #3 upright at an angle to the track.

Looking at the wreck site from the north is auto-train 3 shoved crosswise by the steam generator car.  At the far left of the picture is a full length dome car.  The extent of the damage that #3 sustained in this wreck would not be known for 49 years when repairs were made in 2022 by contractors for FLAIRR, preparing it for its return to the east coast.

The impact point it still visible just below the cupola.  We also found 2 broken springs on the number 2 axle of the B end of the car.  This is the axle that took most of the lateral shock from the steam generator car.  The truck from the A end out from under the car in this picture had damage from being shoved into the embankment.

May 24, 1974 service from Louisville, KY to Sanford, FL started, this train was limited to 22 cars.  When the carriers were placed on the rear of the train to improve the ride for the passengers.  There came a need for a caboose not wanting to loose a revenue car, auto carriers 3, 6 & 12 were modified with a brakeman’s cabin becoming the largest cabooses ever built.

March 22, 1977 Stan Jackowski catches the combined train southbound near Jacksonville, FL.  Note the Amtrak cars on the head end.

This off season 12 car train looks as good from north the front and rear.  Notice Amtrak 669 steam hearer car  between the auto-train passenger cars and tuto carriers.

During the peak season the ridership was up and the trains were much longer.  However when the train was combined with the Floridian it was limited to only 18 cars.  With the station stops added for Amtrak along the way the train was shortened to 18 cars, so the U36bs could get back to track speed And maintain the schedule.

September 1977 Louisville service was ended. John Owen loaded the furniture fron the Louisville Terminal onto the auto rack section of #3 and closed the doors on auto-train 3 for its last run back to Sanford, FL.

In late April of 1981 Auto Train Corperation ceased operations.  The bankruptcy court ordered all assets auctioned off.  A large group of cars were purchased by the Anbel Corporation lead by former auto-train employee Bob Jones.  In 1987 these cars were still in storage in Texas.  At the far end of the string of cars on the left you can see the couple of auto-train 3.

In what may very well have been the biggest practical joke ever played in railroading.  Mark Dees buys auto-train 3 as a joke aimed at Richard Kughn, President of the Lionel Corporatio.  Mark dubbed it the”Worlds Largest Lionel Caboose” pictured here with Mark Dees business car San Marino and the Pony Express.  This is the only picture we have found of it lettered that way. 

Mark Dees renumbered the caboose to MLDX 2957.  Mark also owned many antique  automobiles and wanted to take them with him on railroad trips.  Sadly Mark was killed in a head on  automobile accident near Fillmore California, MLDX 2957 became a part of his estate and was sold to Stan Garner along with the Pony Express baggage car. Stan then passed the car onto the Fillmore and Western Where I remained till FLAIRR purchased it.

Fillmore and Western Railway was where many move and television scenes have been filmed.  We only know that the ladder on the side of the car in this picture was added for Fear Factor.

When FLAIRR bought the car we also got its contents.  We have no Idea what all may be inside of it right nos but do have a couple of pictures.  

The first order of business when RPCX 730027 arrives at its new home is to start through all this junk and see if there is anything of value and start selling things.

Not much to see here but for the grand staircase.  The caboose portion is very Spartan.  However look to the left side of the staircase and you can see the door leading into the auto rack section.

inspections reveled several defects that needed to be repaired before movement could happen.

we knew that the ”B” end truck had the most problems and was the first to be worked on.  This truck had 2 broken inner springs on the #2 axle.  And a loose snubber.  This damage appeared to have been a result of it being plowed into by auto-train 137 at Hortense, GA 3/13/1973.

A condition known as rust jacking cracked caused cracks in 13 of the pedestal liners.  This could cause problems with vertical movement of the axles in the trucks.

Out of 16 liners on the car 13 needed replaced.  The fabricator made us 23 liners at the cost of 16.  Well we have spares…

The old liners had to be ground off the jaws were cleaned up and the new liners were welded back in place.

Here we can see the truck going back together.

With the “B” end repaired efforts were focused on the “B” end.

This Truck had its own issues to repair.  It took 3 hours for the truck and center pin to release from the car.  This turned out to be from 3/13/1973 Hortense3, GA. wreck.                                                                                                       

Notice the egg shape of the center pin hole and the bent edge of the bolster bowl to the right side of the photo.  These turned out to not be defects according to CFR title 49 part 215.  However it does indicate the force exerted when the car was slammed into the ditch at Hortense, GA.

Auto-train upgraded the braking system to D-22 brakes for use in passenger service.  These valves must be updated every 36 months. This is done for us by Pittsburgh Air Brake.

Part of the COT&S includes replace of the brake cylinder packing cup.  The 14” cylinder is not often used on the railroads anymore.  The search for one was intense finding it at The Buncher Co Multi Service Division in  Pittsburgh, PA

Andy Wilkinson and  Jarod Beason were the ones who did the work in California to get RPCX 730027 ready for its trip home.