Another Rail Innovater is Gone...

[Bob C]

Eugene Kerik Garfield, Father of the "Auto-Train" has died at age 74...an article from the Miami Herald is here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/12/28/2...z19czqja7G ...another man who loved trains with foresight and courage to take a chance, when Rail was not as popular or politically correct as it has become today. Rest in Peace, Gene.

[FCIN]

Hate to hear that another railroad visionary has pasted. They don't mention in the article that Auto Train also operated out of Louisville, KY over the L&N. I went by the terminal several times in the 70's to photograph the U-Boats, including the unit with the "Smiley Face" on the nose. Unfortunately, it never really caught on, but I would have loved to have made the trip.

It's a shame that passenger service in this area just doesn't seem to attract many people. Amtrak operated out of Louisville to Indianapolis for a few years over the Louisville & Indiana, but the service was discontinued. The few times I saw the train leaving Union Station, it looked like it was packed, but at 35mph and operating in the dark both ways, it sure couldn't compete with I-65.