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Returning auto-train #3 to home territory.

FLAIRR is excited to announce that we purchased auto-train 3 from the Fillmore and Western Railway. June 11, 2022 we received the BILL OF SALE conveying title of RPCX 730027 (auto-train3) form Fillmore and Western Railway to FLAIRR.

Fifty years after the first auto-train left Lorton, VA the employees of the original auto-train were holding their 50 year reunion. It was at that reunion that an announcement was made that caboose #3 was in need of a new home to avoid being scrapped.  FLAIRR‘s board of directors quickly decided that we needed to take action.  Now after many phone calls plans have been made and put into action.  


UPDATE June 19, 2022

All repairs are now complete and we are waiting for the final air test and FRA Inspection to be done  June 22, 2022.  RPCX 730027 will be shipped on its own wheels from its 40 home in California over Union Pacific to CSX to its new home on the St. Marys Railroad in St. Marys, Georgia.


UPDATE June 30, 2022

The paperwork is all filed Union Pacific has sent car inspectors out with any luck our caboose should be picked up sometime tomorrow.


UPDATE July 5, 2022

We checked in with Sierra Northern Railway this afternoon. They told us that Union Pacific has not yet sent a car inspector out.  We have been told that will happen tomorrow.  Then #3 will be pushed another half mile for UP to pick up hopefully by the end of the week.


UPDATE July 15, 2022

RPCX 730027 is back in Fillmore where it will be safe from tagging.  We are waiting to find out what day the local will be there to pick it up.  That should be next Wednesday or Thursday.


UPDATE July 27, 2022

this morning at 9:25 am PDT auto-train 3 RPXX 730027 left Santa Paula, CA for the final time.  the last word is it is now in Oxnard , CA waiting on the next train.


UPDATE August 3, 2022

RPCX 730027 departed Yuma, AZ at 2107 hours MDT in route to Alfalfa Yards in Elpaso,TX on train MWCEP 02. It will be passing the Tucson, AZ Vutural Railfan web cam between 4:00 and 5:00 am MDT.


UPDATE August 11, 2022

The last notice we have had is that RPCX730027 should be interchanged to CSX in New Orleans this evening.  We are now waiting for CSX to inspect it and get it moving again.




This page will serve as a place for the latest information As this page will continue to update


photo by Don Jaworski



Now retired from its career in Television and movies auto-train 3 is heading east for new adventures in Georgia.

Built in the auto-train’s Sanford shops for the Louisville to Sanford route, later combined with the Amtrak Floridian. Somehow it made its way to Southern California and into some motion picture work.  With yet another twist of fate things changed and its existence once again became uncertain.  Now FLAIRR owns this piece of auto-train history and is bringing it to St. Marys, GA where it will undergo further restoration back to its auto-train appearance. 

Become a member and join the crew.

With the mechanical work completed we say good bye to our team in California, Andy Wilkson and Jared Bisson. Thank you to them for all they have don for us to get RPCX 730027 ready to move.


we are now putting together a team to do the work of the cosmetic restoration in Georgia.  To join the crew click below to become a member, to be on the crew you must be a member of FLAIRR


Join FLAIRR here

riding smooth at speed on the mainline

Check out this great video Andy Wilkinson caught RPCX 730027 mid train on the mainline headed to Oxnard, CA.

Preservation and restoration come at a cost. And donations are needed.

These type of projects have a large appetite for money and auto-train 3 is no exception.  In order for FLAIRR to make this happen we had to go out on a limb and take a loan to make this happen.  Therefore fund raising will continue, we need your help in the form of donations, both reoccurring and one time donations of any amount.  Watch here for continuing fund raisers.  Till then, please consider making a donation today. Click the Donate button below to get started.

Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

Auto-train 3 history in pictures

Built By Canadian Car and Foundry 8/59

Repainted and upgraded for use on the auto-train.

Built By Canadian Car and Foundry 8/59

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

Sold to AUTO TRAIN CORP in 1971

Repainted and upgraded for use on the auto-train.

Built By Canadian Car and Foundry 8/59

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

Repainted and upgraded for use on the auto-train.

Repainted and upgraded for use on the auto-train.

Repainted and upgraded for use on the auto-train.

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 

March 13, 1973 Hortense, GA

March 13, 1973 Hortense, GA

Repainted and upgraded for use on the auto-train.

A log truck fails to stop at a grade crossing

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.

DISASTER STRIKES!!!

March 13, 1973 Hortense, GA

DISASTER STRIKES!!!

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.

Scars still visible

March 13, 1973 Hortense, GA

DISASTER STRIKES!!!

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.

Transformed into a caboose

The Louisville section of the auto-train and the Amtrak Floridian combine.

The Louisville section of the auto-train and the Amtrak Floridian combine.

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.

The Louisville section of the auto-train and the Amtrak Floridian combine.

The Louisville section of the auto-train and the Amtrak Floridian combine.

The Louisville section of the auto-train and the Amtrak Floridian combine.

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

Auto-train 3 brings up the markers.

The Louisville section of the auto-train and the Amtrak Floridian combine.

Auto-train 3 brings up the markers.

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.

Peak Season Trains

Laid up in Sanford, FL

Auto-train 3 brings up the markers.

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.

Laid up in Sanford, FL

Laid up in Sanford, FL

Laid up in Sanford, FL

In September of 1977 the Louisville service was ended.  John Owen loaded

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.

The Fleet is Auctioned

Laid up in Sanford, FL

Laid up in 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.

Life in california

It’s a Lionel Caboose!

A television and movie star.

It’s a Lionel Caboose!

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. 

MLDX 2957

A television and movie star.

It’s a Lionel Caboose!

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.

A television and movie star.

A television and movie star.

A television and movie star.

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.

So what’s inside?

Looks like we may be having a big sale!

A television and movie star.

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.  

Looks like we may be having a big sale!

Looks like we may be having a big sale!

Looks like we may be having a big sale!

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.

Inside the caboose section

Looks like we may be having a big sale!

Looks like we may be having a big sale!

Not much to see here

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.

Repair work begins

13 Cracked pedestal liners

Repair work begins

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

The “B” end truck

13 Cracked pedestal liners

Repair work begins

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.

13 Cracked pedestal liners

13 Cracked pedestal liners

13 Cracked pedestal liners

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.

New pedestal liners

The truck starts being reassembled

13 Cracked pedestal liners

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…

New liners welded in

The truck starts being reassembled

The truck starts being reassembled

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

The truck starts being reassembled

The truck starts being reassembled

The truck starts being reassembled

Here we can see the truck going back together.

The “A” end jacked up for the removal of the truck.

The “A” end jacked up for the removal of the truck.

The “A” end jacked up for the removal of the truck.

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

“A” end truck removed for repairs

The “A” end jacked up for the removal of the truck.

The “A” end jacked up for the removal of the truck.

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.                                                                                                       

More wreck damage

The “A” end jacked up for the removal of the truck.

More wreck damage

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.

D-22 brake valve

The repair team in California

More wreck damage

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.

14” brake cylinder

The repair team in California

The repair team in California

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

The repair team in California

The repair team in California

The repair team in California

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

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