There might be a market for a Chicago-Florida service at certain times of the year. For example "snowbirds' from the Midwest who wish to travel to their homes in Florida in lte November, and returning north in late March or early April. But other than that I don't see such a market.
The concept of a self propelled rail diesel car might not work because it migt not have enough power to tow unpowered trailers; in any event such acar could be developed, but who will pay for it? Moreover would a service with a passenger car or two hauling a few trailers be profitable?
If the service could be improved over what it was in the 1970's, with a more northern terminal, maybe it could work. After all, the Amtrak Auto Train in the east has a good market. The problem with the midwest route in the 70's was the terrible route performance, not a lack of folks wanting to head south with their cars.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
The Auto-Train Corp. ran service from Dec 1971 to April 1981. It attempted to expand from the original Lorton to Sanford route with a 2nd train from Louisville to Sanford. The failure of that route along with high crew costs and several accidents forced it into bankruptcy. So it could be done as there is a legal precedent for private services. However, past experience on that route was pretty dismal.
Who do you foresee as potential riders?
I don't think anyone on a business trip would want to take the train instead of flying.
Retired people who have moved to Florida and have children/grandchildren living up north and traveling back and forth for short visits, or the children/grandchildren visiting Florida?
Retired people wanting to get to Florida to move into their retirement home on a one-way trip?
Perhaps an occasional family outing to Disney World or other Florida attractions?
I don't really see enough interest to justify the cost.
And as already pointed out by PNWRMNM, Amtrak has exclusive rights for passenger rail service in the U.S. and they would probably not allow competition.
You have a couple of problems. First, I think ATK has a legal monopoly on passenger rail in the US at least on companies that joined ATK in the first place. Others on this board dispute that.
Second, if you want the host railroad(s) to be your partner, expect to pay them about the same gross revenue as a freight train. That will drive your unit cost for the short trains you contemplate into the stratosphere. ATK does not have this problem as they pay next to nothing for their train slots.
Mac McCulloch
I have done some informal study on passenger entrainments between Chicago and Miami, and the older routes that were more direct than CHI-WAS-MIA. It seems that CSX has decent trackage along the route CHI-Evansville-Nashville-Birmingham or Chattanooga-Atlanta-Jacksonville and FEC from JAX to MIA. Using the success of frequency versus one or two long daily trains, use a locomotive, coach, coach/lounge, sleeper and autorack (5 cars) four times a day each way, and start passenger service. No need to speed, just mix in with CSX/FEC traffic and go 50mph. Possibly a bilevel self propelled car with some trailers would work - and shorten the entire consist to a bi level RDC/coach, sleeper/lounge and autorack. The freight road needs to be your business partner, not enemy. The current time enroute is 57 hours versus what could be 33 hours on the new route, even at slower speeds - an entire day of travel saved. What do all of you think?
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