KETC | Living St. Louis | Aerotrain

[pennsylvaniajake]

It was so wonderful to see the Aerotrain at your site. My Dad took me to see it when I was a little kid in Johnstown PA. I had just gotten out of the hospital with pneumonia, but I wanted to see that train so bad. It was at night time and I can still see in my head the bright lights of the front of it. I have never forgotten that wonderful night, so very long ago.

Jake Trexel

[grizzleybearz282004]

I WISH THAY WOULD HAVE SAVE THE ONE AND ONLY PRR #6200 TURBINE 6-8-6 THAT WAS A FAIL BUT COLLECTORS LOVE THEM

[northstar2007]

I'm kind of sad that there's no engine in there. it would be neat to see it go again..

[grizzleybearz282004]

WELL I WAS NEVER AROUND FOR THIS OR FOR MANY OF THE OTHER GREAT ENGINES THAT RUNNING THE RAIL IN THE DAYS OF CLASS AND PRIDE BUT THIS LOOKS TO BE A VERY RARE TYPE OF ENGINE AND IM GLAD THATS ITS BEING REDONE FOR YOU FOLKS

[MsSoundguy]

One of my big childhood memories was the Sunday my family took the Aerotrain from Lancaster to Pittsburgh. It was so much fun riding the Horseshoe Curve and seeing the engine pull the train of tomorrow. Plus, we lived beside the PRR, so I saw the train go by nearly daily. They're right...it was an exciting thing to see. Even the whistle was different, as I recall. Thanks for the memory.

[punkrockpickup]

My last comment is assuming that the Rock Island donated the train. It's possible that the train was bought at scrap value by the museum through donations, in which case it would be cheaper to get it without the engine (less weight for an engineless loco). Since the prime mover (engine) is a common one, it would be possible to eventually buy one to put in.

I should state that I'm not associated with this museum, and I don't know how they acquired the loco, or what their plans are for it.

[fujitsulifebooke342]

They should put an engine inside i think

[Gravida12]

Unfortunately, neither of the rear "tailfin" coaches has survived. 

[punkrockpickup]

@Gravida12 One survived as a yard office for a while after the trains were taken out of service. I can't find the page where I read that, and I've never seen a picture of it as a yard office. In either case, they're both long gone by now :(

[ANewNormalcy]

At 1:28 the gent entering the locomotive is Harley Earl.

[artistmac]

I remember these running as commuters on the Rock Island in the 60's. The windows of the coaches, by that time, were always pointing in different directions

[Loco4Locomotives]

I think the biggest insult to the GM Aerotrain Locomotive was seeing it pulling commuter cars between Joliet and Chicago

[mongo731]

Thanks for the great post!

[kakuice]

classical :D

[teddybeareleventeen]

Are they going to put an engine in it?

[Modeltrainguy]

5 Stars for posting! This is TRULY Amazing!

It's shameful the GM Designers gave up so quickly on the train (2 years after the Aerotrain got pulled....the Buller Trains in Japan speed into History).

As "cochranexyz" pointed out: "the guys....are smoking".

That has to make one wonder if the smoking was a show of confidence or not at the time (in showing off the train of tomorrow).

I pass this video on to Family/Friends. It's no surprise they NEVER heard of 'The Aerotrain'.

[boazrg]

I remember the Aerotrain because it operated in Chicago area commuter service for the old Rock Island until the late sixties. The Aerotrain had two principle flaws: Despite the lightweight coaches, it was underpowered. The forty foot coaches on two wheel trucks gave a choppy ride at higher speeds. Lengthening the car bodies and putting them on fourwheel trucks might have helped, but the Aerotrain never caught on, so this was never done. Kind of like "A train designed by a committee."

[Modeltrainguy]

Thanks for the info, boazrg. ^_^

You say it was 'underpowered'? Meaning the Horsepower was not all that great?

And, if I may ask, did you ever get to see inside the Cab where the Engineer sat?

Shameful GM took the Engine out. It's like they did not care anymore.

The train had REAL Potential. If the designers had gone back to the drawing board and revised it, who knows?

[mulad]

1200 horsepower was pretty low, even for diesels of the 1950s. You typically want 2-4 times that, at least for a more conventional streamlined train. Some locomotives had two engines under the hood, or railroads just ganged two or three locomotives together.

[punkrockpickup]

@Modeltrainguy GM didn't take the engine out. The Rock Island probably did. The prime mover (engine) was the same that EMD (GM) were putting in their switchers (sw1200), so the RI probably kept it for spare parts for their switchers (assuming they had sw1200's) or sold it. In either case, it was probably the only thing on that locomotive that was worth money to them. It's just good that they donated the loco and cars. Those could have been scrapped too.

[darkyoda]

If I remember right, the "locomotive" end of it was a modified SW engine with a higher gearing to let it run faster.

[cochranexyz]

LOL. Lots of the guys in the old movies are smoking. Saw the Aerotrain in Green Bay, but it would be something to see it restored.

[MrTrainman1]

I LOVE the Green Bay train museum i've been there 6 times!!!

[trainboy94]

I saw it, in St. Louis, but the car were hidden away, but I got pictures of the cars.