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].
Amtrak declined to comment on the proposal, which AmeriStarRail said it had also sent to President Donald Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, members of Congress, and the Federal Railroad Administration.
More on AmeriStarRail is available at its website.
— Updated July 2 at 8:57 a.m. with Amtrak declining to comment.
I do not see freight and passenger cars operating nicely together at speeds greater than 49 mph, up and down hlls, mountains and around multiple curves through all kids of weather. Amtrak has trouble now with multiple trains on July 4. Not going to happen.
This is so flaky on so many levels. Why would it replace the existing passenger trains?
72 hours straight on a cross-country train. No thanks. Been there and done that back around 1975 when I rode the Canadian from Montreal to Vancouver without a stop-over. Never again. Oh, the train was wonderful. Great equipment, scenery food and service. But I should have stopped over in Winnipeg for 24 hours and gone on the next day.
I don’t see how this service could break even, let alone be profitable. Even the proposed travel time is 10% longer than the 1950 Broadway Limited/Chief transcontinental train — that lost 5.5 hours in Chicago with cars switched from the PRR to the Santa Fe. Further, as airlines increased service the the transcontinental cars carried fewer and fewer passengers, until they were at less than 25% capacity. Finally, if you thought the West was furious with the proposed bus bridge, consider their feelings if they lost all service. Besides Congress has forbidden trainoffs for long-distance service.
Amtrak would be carrying freight. Will BNSF, UP,CSX, NS scream all the way to SCOTUS. Wast of time for truck drivers being OOS for 72+ hours. CA DOT does not want east coast polluters unloading in CA. There are no TOFC or well cars certified MAX speeds greater than 70 MPH
Don’t see it happening under current conditions. I’ve always wondered how a cross country auto train would do. Maybe Harrisburg area with a stop in the St. Louis area. Then another with a Denver stop and on to Bakersfield. Cars could be blocked by destination with passengers able to get out and stretch their legs while a switcher handles the blocks. It would also allow for servicing of the equipment.
Oh man, give Scott Spencer credit – he truly believes in the BS he slings.
Note the Harrisburg mention as an origin point. Former Triple Crown terminal at Rutherford, PA (HBG area) would be ideal for this activity.
I thought the same. But that’s about the only sensible part of what he is proposing in today’s world.
Hours of service for the truck driver would need to be changed. Currently any public transportation needs to be logged “on duty” unless you get a full 10 break after you arrived.
Don’t see a market for this, yes there a lot of freight leaving California but other than produce (temperature control) which requires monitoring. Most long haul freight goes intermodal. I don’t see any reason why to stick a driver on a train for a few days.
The advantage of use a driver to move freight is more flexibility on destination and the ability to monitor the load in transit.
Having a few trucks on trailer behind a train doesn’t seem very financially feasible.
Wish them the best. Not willing to help fund them.
This isn’t passing the straight face test. Why talk to NJ Transit? Why involve the Garden State at all? The success of the Auto Train originating from Lorton is the funnel from the Tri-State area and MidAtlantic states. Not everyone in NJ wants to go to California. Someplace convenient to the Tri-State area, maybe eastern Pennsylvania, would be more logical.
I would like to see what would happen if one of these was blazing down the rails and one of the Class 1’s has their typical 3 mile train derail event on the same route.
Will a re-route be allowed? Or are they going to signal them to death with a red signal on a siding for 2 or 3 days while they clear the wreckage? Not likely.
High expectations that the current rail network just can’t support.
Did someone at the TRAINS office set the calendar back three months to indicate that today was April 1st instead of July 1st?
The time of transmission is also an hour off.
Not going to happen.
Amtrak does not have the cars for this service??
Per the article, “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.”” If they order equipment by 10/1/25 it should be ready by mid-2030.
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.
Don’t know about the pig part but plenty of birdbrains received PhDs during my time in the trenches.
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?