WILMINGTON, Del. — AmeriStarRail, which for some time has been proposing privately owned and operated passenger service on the Northeast Corridor, has gone in a new direction with its latest proposal — literally and figuratively.
The company is now proposing a long-distance train that would offer coast-to-coast service in less than 72 hours between New York and Los Angeles — not just for passengers, but for truck drivers and their tractor-trailers. And it has asked Amtrak to partner in the effort, in a June 30, 2025, letter from AmeriStar Chief Operating Officer Scott Spencer to Amtrak President Roger Harris.
The “Transcontinental Chief” would include drive-aboard service for truckers, allowing them to make use of Amtrak coach, sleepers, and dining cars as they continue to travel during their federally mandated rest periods. The train would also offer Auto Train service for passenger cars and vehicles, including charter buses. The service would also include a Harrisburg, Pa.-Washington, D.C., section.
AmeriStarRail says that the train would replace existing Southwest Chief and Pennsylvanian service. It would use existing TTX flatcars and auto carriers, along with Amtrak locomotives and passenger cars. Because of this, and because it would be on a route that is mostly double track, the company says the operation could begin as soon as May 10, 2026, in time for events marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. It notes that is subject to agreements with the host railroads on its proposed route: BNSF, Norfolk Southern, and NJ Transit.
ASR says in its letter to Harris that its “proprietary operating techniques will help prevent the chronic train delays and service disruptions of Amtrak’s previous inefficient operation of lengthy trains for mail and express services.” The company also says it plans to complete plans for bilevel trainsets by Oct. 1, 2025, “with features and amenities to ensure that Amtrak passengers will have the finest trains available for travel across America.”
Spencer’s letter concludes, “The Transcontinental Chief will be a great opportunity for Amtrak to team up with the private sector to confront the challenges of its money losing long distance trains and create opportunities to usher in a profitable Golden Age of rail travel for passengers and truckers, with the ingenuity of free enterprise, as we celebrate our great nation’s 250th birthday next year.
“We look forward to putting together a mutually beneficial, privately funded proposal for The Transcontinental Chief for Amtrak to consider.”
Drive-on trains for truckers with sleeping car accommodations have existed in Europe for some time, although they are exclusively for intermodal, not a mixed freight and passenger operation. RAlpin, the company operating such trains through Switzerland is preparing to shut down this year in light of the completion of new rail tunnels [see “Drive-on piggyback service …,” Trains News Wire, May 6, 2025].
Trains News Wire has asked Amtrak for comment.
More on AmeriStarRail is available at its website.
Amtrak does not have the cars for this service??
It cost about $1100-$1500 to take you to Florida on the Auto Train. What would the cost be for cross country 5K. At that point the public would fly and rent a car for less money.
The only train I can remember was TVLA and LATV that Conrail and the Santa Fe ran in the 1990’s It had a 72 schedule from North Bergan NJ to LA. Only stopped for crewchanges.
It’s not the 72 hours that bothers me; that seems achievable, especially if Chicago is bypassed. It’s the terminals for loading and unloading that don’t yet exist. Somewhere in New Jersey (Croxton?) to somewhere in the LA basin (San Bernardino?)
A visionary project that is quite difficult to realize but not impossible… Let’s see what the Amtrak administration thinks about it.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Sounds like a great idea. But logistically probably impossible.
“proprietary operating techniques will help prevent the chronic train delays and service disruptions”
Is this some fairy dust… or does it involve bribery or cocaine to politicians, class 1 executives and perhaps dispatchers.
Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!
Exactly what are their “ proprietary operating techniques” ?
In other news, pigs can now fly and chickens are earning PhDs. There’s no way this will work and make money.
So all intermediate stops for the Chief would lose train service! The Auto Train doesn’t have intermediate disembark/boarding stops simply because it’s not possible to allow passengers to get on or off and to load their car onto an auto rack at an intermediate stop without having to break the train apart. The Auto Train itself has to be split into several sections to allow passengers and cars to leave the train and then be reassembled before departure back in the opposite direction!
This would effectively be second through train operating on the same route as the Southwest Chief, Capitol Limited/Floridan (which they omitted), and the Pennsylvanian. Big deal for the cities in between. It could not terminate at LA Union Station without run through tracks – too long, and now where to upload the cars and trucks! Likewise for Philadelphia (or when the unnamed origination city in PA, of NJ). They will have to rent yard space from the class ones somewhere in NJ and the greater LA metro area to allow passengers to get off and then retrieve their cars, or trucks. Lots of logistical pieces to work out. This idea is years away from happening.
The Class 1 are not going to be too pleased with Amtrak involved with moving trucks. Mail & Express 2.0?
I wish them the best, but if UPS can’t get a decently priced and scheduled transcon out of the Class 1’s, not sure how AmeriStar will.
Also they will need an Amtrak blessing to get the requisite amount of liability insurance. UP won’t let anyone touch their rails with out it.
Finally, the Class 1’s don’t like express traffic crossing their network on such a tough time schedule. They have to hold up a ton of north-south cross traffic nationally to allow them to pass, and they consider that kind of movement extremely expensive to manage. so look for some ridiculous pricing if these guys can’t get enough attached freight to offset it.
Wow–72 hours. That seems mighty optimistic to me. Those out in reader land with a strong operational background–any thoughts on this?