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Interesting Doodlebug - Autogram Streamliner https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47196	Page 1 of 1

Author:

tomgears [ Mon Jan 30, 2023 6:32 pm ]

Post subject:

Interesting Doodlebug - Autogram Streamliner

I found this photo whilst searching for something else and it sent me down a rabbit hole. I've not been able to turn up anything with a simple search and thought before I spend a lot of time I would share it here and see if anyone knows about it.

I've never heard of Autogram as a name of anything to do with railroading. It was in many newspapers in late February 1933 so it was on the newswire. I presume maybe there is a better name that would give better results when searching.

It looks to me like it had an open-air section in the front. Has anyone seen this before? Maybe there are better photos.

Attachments:

Autogram Streamline 22-2-1933 Morning News.jpg [ 220.23 KiB | Viewed 2921 times ]

Author:	Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Mon Jan 30, 2023 7:16 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Doodlebug - Autogram Streamliner
Interurbans Without Wires, Edmund Keilty, P. 169. The trade brand was "Autotram," not "Autogram." Made by Clark Equipment Co. of Battle Creek, Mich. (maker of PCC trucks) for the 1933 Century of Progress exhibition in Chicago. The one-off prototype was never sold.

Author:	QJdriver [ Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Doodlebug - Autogram Streamliner
While Mr Mitchell no doubt has this one pegged, it sure looks a lot like some of the railbuses built in Germany during the 30s and 40s, some of which lasted in revenue service until circa Y2K. Some recent Marklin catalogs show models of them, and Rio Grande Video has coverage of the last survivors (in PAL format).

Author:	Overmod [ Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Interesting Doodlebug - Autogram Streamliner
That is the Clark Autotram, which is technically a much better production than its duckbilled appearance and somewhat clumsy name would indicate. As a fun fact, the engine is one of the then-recently-introduced Cadillac V-16s... perhaps acquired at Depression-era price... giving the car a running speed over 100mph (although I don't know if it was actually road-tested extensively at that rate!) https://www.rgusrail.com/fairs/ce_cat/ce_cat.pdf Note the fun implied by "air brakes on all wheels', 110mph speed, and those Goodrich resilient rail wheels...

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