United Aircraft's TurboTrain was a successor to a number of unsuccessful experiments in the mid-fifties with lighter, cheaper passenger trains (such as AeroTrain and TrainX) intended to reduce the roads' massive passenger deficits. The TurboTrain, which debuted in 1968, ultimately resulted from studies carried out in the 1950s by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. Both the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Canadian National Railway were involved in bringing the concept to reality, with the substitution of turbine for diesel power being a major design change. After trial runs the TurboTrain was operated by the New Haven (later Penn Central) and ultimately Amtrak on the Boston to New York run. It was finally withdrawn from service in 1976, although several further experiments with turbine-powered locomotives were attempted with limited success. Canadian National continued operating their trainsets until 1982.
This train is preparing to depart for New York City via the Hell Gate Bridge.
