New Train

Into the rail station at Peoria, Ill. last week slithered the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad's answer to the annual $700 million deficit of U.S. passenger trains: the Jet Rocket, a light, low train modeled after the Spanish Talgo. Built by ACF Industries, Inc., it is the first of the new lightweight trains to be owned by a U.S. railroad. It begins regular Chicago-Peoria passenger runs this week.

The Jet Rocket has enough economic advantages over standard trains to make Rock Island hopeful of turning a profit on passenger operations. The four-car train, with a General Motors diesel locomotive, cost $788,000, with a per-seat cost of $2,300 v. $3,800 for conventional cars. The steel and aluminum train weighs 451,000 Ibs., slightly over half the 807,000 Ibs. of Rock Island's 20-year-old Peoria Rocket. Thus, the locomotive need develop only 1,200 h.p. v. 2,000 h.p. for conventional engines, makes the 161-mile Chicago-Peoria run on $10 worth of fuel, one-third the standard amount.

The low cars (under 11 ft., v. 13 1/2 ft. for oldtime cars) are jointed so that each bends in two places, helping the train hit speeds of 95 m.p.h. on curves on which older trains must hold to 70. The train has hit 110 m.p.h. on test runs. Passengers get a somewhat more jiggly ride than in heavier trains, but there are compensations: air conditioning, a television screen in the lounge that gives passengers an engineer's-eye view of the road ahead.

If the Jet proves a success, Rock Island will eventually convert entirely to lightweight trains. Said President Downing B. Jenks: "We think the train will prove so economical to buy and operate that we'll be able to reduce fares while giving better service."

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