Aerotrain (GM)
The Aerotrain was a streamlined trainset that the General Motors Electro-Motive Division introduced in 1955. GM originally designated the light-weight consist as Train-Y before the company adopted the Aerotrain marketing name.
Design and components
GM's Styling Section first brought the Aerotrain's trainset to life, as it did for all of GM's body designs of that mid-century era. Chuck Jordan was in charge of designing the Aerotrain as Chief Designer of Special Projects. GM constructed two Aerotrains, each of which utilized one of the last two of three experimental diesel–electric EMD LWT12 power cars that the company built.GM based the EMD LWT12's power components on those in the EMD SW1200 switcher. Like the SW1200, the LWT12 utilized the company's model EMD 567C 12-cylinder prime mover that could produce 1,200 horsepower. The power car featured a cab that mimicked an aircraft's cockpit. The locomotive's overall design resembled that of recent automobiles available for sale at the time.
The company completed the Aerotrains by coupling each of the two locomotives to sets of ten modified GM Truck & Coach Division 40-seat intercity highway bus bodies. Like GM's new PD-4501 Scenicruiser buses, the Aerotrain's passenger cars had windows with slanted sides. The finned back end of the train resembled the rear of a 1955 Chevrolet or Pontiac station wagon. The cars each rode on two axles with an air suspension system that was intended to give a smooth ride, but had the opposite effect.
The cars were 40 feet long, half the length of standard designs, thereby reducing the weight by 50%. To further reduce weight, GM built the locomotive and cars of each train from aluminum.
GM returned to a concept first used at the start of the streamliner era, semi-permanently coupled trainsets. All of the cars and locomotive shared a truck, which further helped to reduce weight.
History
In late February 1956, the Pennsylvania Railroad began operating the first Aerotrain trainset between New York and Pittsburgh. In June, the Pennsylvania cut back its New York-Pittsburgh Aerotrain to travel only between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.in 1956.
General Motors demonstrated the second Aerotrain trainset on several railroads, including the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, where the train operated in California between Los Angeles and San Diego as a San Diegan. During the demonstration period, the New York Central Railroad operated the train between Chicago and Detroit. From July to October, the New York Central ran the train between Chicago and Cleveland.
In December 1956, the Union Pacific Railroad began to operate the second trainset between Los Angeles and Las Vegas as the City of Las Vegas, but discontinued that service in October 1957. The Pennsy continued to run between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh until June 1957, after which time it joined the Union Pacific train in City of Las Vegas service.
In October, 1958, General Motors sold both trainsets to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, which designated their locomotives as numbers 2 and 3 while using both trainsets in commuter service between Chicago and Joliet. Both trainsets ended service in 1966. Although the Rock Island scrapped or re-used most of the trainsets' equipment, both locomotives and two pairs of coaches remain on display in museums.
Meanwhile, the first EMD LWT12 locomotive, began in February 1956 to travel on the Rock Island line between Chicago and Peoria when pulling the line's Jet Rocket train, which bore a strong resemblance to an Aerotrain. The Rock Island later designated the power car as locomotive number 1.
The American Car and Foundry Company constructed the Jet Rocket's coaches, most of which were similar, but not identical, to those of the Talgo II. The last car resembled that of the future Talgo III.
Unlike the slanted sides of the windows on the Aerotrain's ten coaches, the windows on the Jet Rocket's twelve coaches had vertical sides. In addition, the Jet Rocket's Talgo-like coaches had one axle, whereas the Aerotrain's coaches had two.
After less than two years, the Rock Island shortened the Jet Rocket's route. The train then traveled only between Chicago and Joliet. The railroad scrapped the train several years later.
GM's "lightweight with a heavyweight future" was introduced at a time when passenger train revenues were declining due to competition from airlines and private automobiles. Although they featured a streamlined design, the Aerotrains failed to capture the public's imagination. Their cars, based on GM's bus designs and using an air cushioning system, were rough riding and uncomfortable. The design of the locomotive section made routine maintenance difficult and it was underpowered.
Originally intended to travel at speeds of up to, modifications reduced the Aerotrain's maximum speed to, which it was able to achieve when traveling on level ground without passengers during the train's demonstration period. However, an Aerotrain's LWT12 power car required the assistance of a 1,750 horsepower EMD GP9 switcher locomotive when pulling the train's ten passenger cars up Southern California's Cajon Pass while leading the Union Pacific's City of Las Vegas. Uncomfortable riding conditions associated with the Aerotrain's higher speeds later prompted the Rock Island line to restrict its two cheaply-purchased Aerotrains to low-speed commuter service in and near Chicago.
in Green Bay, Wisconsin
The EMD LWT12 locomotives and two passenger cars of each of the two Aerotrains that GM constructed are presently on display within the United States. The National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, now exhibits the Rock Island line's Aerotrain locomotive number 2 and two of its coaches. The Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, Missouri exhibits the Rock Island's Aerotrain locomotive number 3 and two coaches.
Disneyland had a scale version of the Aerotrain, known as the Viewliner, from 1957 to 1959. Since 1958 the Washington Park and Zoo Railway in Portland, Oregon, has operated a scale, diesel-powered replica of the Aerotrain to transport zoo visitors. Idlewild Park in Reno, Nevada, operates a small train whose locomotive is fashioned after that of the Aerotrain.
The ''Viewliner''
On June 26, 1957, the narrow-gauge Santa Fe and Disneyland Viewliner commenced operation. Two separate trains, designed and built as scale replicas of the futuristic Aerotrain, traveled a figure-eight track through parts of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland parallel to a portion of the DLRR main line. The Tomorrowland train featured cars that were named for the planets while the cars of the Fantasyland train were named after various Disney characters.The modern, streamlined trains were placed in service to represent the future of rail travel in contrast to the steam-powered DLRR which represented its past. Motive power for each train consisted of an integral head-end unit driven by an Oldsmobile "Rocket" V8 gasoline engine. Oldsmobile also furnished the windscreen, doors and instrument console for each of the two 5,000 lb locomotives. The attraction operated until September 15, 1958, when construction began on the Matterhorn and Submarine Voyage; the Disneyland Monorail System took the place of the Viewliner in June of the following year.