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Guide to the Eric Rath Collection
MS 299
MS 299
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Table of contents
Title: Eric Rath Business Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 299
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
3.0 Linear feet
(5 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1969-1982
Abstract: This collection contains papers related to the various business projects conducted in the San Diego area by Eric Rath.
creator:
Rath, Eric, 1911-1980
Biographical / Historical Notes
Eric Rath was born on January 23, 1911. He was president of Pacific International Hover Craft, Mexicoach, TRC Development,
and Tijuana-Baja Tours. He lectured about transportation at University of California at San Diego, National University of
Colombia, and at the Superior War Academy in Bogota, Colombia. He was also a transportation services advisor for the Colombian
government as well as for the Department of Defense. He was awarded Putnam Food Award and several others.
Eric Rath started Pacific International Hover Craft (PIHCo) in 1969. The company leased the hovercraft from a British hovercraft
company, Seaspeed. The plan was to transport tourists between San Diego and Tijuana. The hovercraft was able to successfully
make a trip down into Tijuana, but on the return trip the engines broke down and required to be towed by the Coast Guard.
Eventually PIHCo went bankrupt in the fall of 1971.
Eric Rath started another company in 1970 called Mexicoach which planned to transport tourists by bus between San Diego and
Tijuana. In 1975, Mexicoach had some issues with traffic on its trips to Mexico; in 1978, Eric Rath tried to arrange an agreement
with Amtrak where it would use the train to take people down into Tijuana instead. The agreement with Amtrak did not work
out, but the Mexicoach business was successful and is continuing business today. In 1975, Eric Rath supported the building
of a Transportation Center, which would bring together various schools in the San Diego area and focus on training students
in the transportation business. Rath’s company, TRC Development, focused on the transportation of perishable goods.
This collection contains papers related to the various business projects conducted in the San Diego area by Eric Rath. The
majority of the collection relates to PIHCo and consists of blueprints of the hovercraft, meeting minutes, correspondence,
financial information, administrative records, informational studies, newspaper articles, reference material booklets, and
publicity photos. In addition there are numerous transportation reports and studies as well as information on other projects
Rath was involved with. They provide a perspective on the border situation in the 1970s.
The Transportation Center project has information outlining the creation of a transportation center for education, but there
is little information about the how successful it was. The San Diego-Tijuana Train Plan concerns the combining Mexicoach with
Amtrak to alleviate traffic problems when transporting tourists between San Diego and Tijuana. Also included is a speech written
by Congressmen Brock Adams about the California railroad service. The San Diego County Study that was used by TRC Development
in their business of helping transport perishable goods is also included.
Arranged by project in the following series.
Series I: Pacific International Hover Craft Company
Series II: Miscellaneous Projects
Series III: Transportation Reports
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
San Diego Economic Development Research Program’s spine is taped with duct tape.
Eric Rath Collection, MS 299, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
This collection is open for research.
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Collection processed by Bryan D. Cullen in April, 2013.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number: 831206A.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Adams, Brock, 1927-2004
Alvarez Malo, Ignacio
Alvarez Malo, Jose
HoveRun.
Mexicoach.
Pacific International Hovercraft (PIHCo).
Seaspeed.