You don't have to log into a getty on every virtual console anymore:
just run a single getty on tty1, put this line in your /etc/inittab:

	kb::kbrequest:/usr/bin/openvt -us

and put this in your rc.local (or equivalent):

	echo "alt keycode 103 = Spawn_Console" | loadkeys

Then, once you login, you can press alt-up-arrow to spawn another
virtual console. This behavior requires a recent sysvinit package.
I used 2.64, but as early as 2.60 might support it. You also must
be using the proc filesystem.

WARNING: this may circumvent vlock.

Joshua Spoerri