WASHINGTON — An improperly lined switch, and a conductor’s failure to verify the switch’s position, led to the head-on collision of two CSX trains near Folkston, Ga., in April 2024, according to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation report. The final report into the April 15, 2024, incident was issued today (Feb. 19, 2025). The […]
PHILADELPHIA — A new company has announced plans to develop a private sleeper-train service connecting major destinations, and says it aims to have a demonstration unit in the second half of 2026. Lunatrain, which describes itself as “a private, early-stage company,” says it will develop a network of express, non-stop night trains in the Midwest […]
CHICAGO — Flooding is disrupting operation of Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, while Empire Builder departures have been cancelled for a fourth straight day. Other Amtrak cancellations announced for today (Feb. 18) include both directions of the Borealis between St. Paul and Milwaukee and a Lincoln Service trip from St. Louis to Chicago, according to […]
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and Gulf Gateway Terminal LLC have announced expanded storage capacity for liquid bulk traffic at Gulf Gateway’s facility at the Port of New Orleans. The terminal is a liquid storage and distribution on 40 acres at the port with access to all six Class I railroads […]
A deadly storm that that has brought significant flooding and other damage to at least five southeastern states has hit Norfolk Southern operations. CSX has also been impacted, although details are not currently available. An NS advisory of midday today informed intermodal customers that the route between Portsmouth, Ohio, and Bluefield, W.Va., is currently impassable, […]
Obsolete railcars are getting a reprieve from the scrapper’s torch to serve as vital road links in an area of North Carolina ravaged by Hurricane Helene. The North Carolina Department of Transportation and Innovative Bridge Co. are installing retired flatcars as a quick fix to temporarily replace road bridges damaged or destroyed by the storm […]
MIAMI — Amtrak’s decision not to move to a station adjacent to Miami International airport was based on estimates that relocating its existing station at Hialeah would generate an additional 20,000 riders and $2 million in yearly revenue but would cost $5 million annually to execute, according to information it released in response to a […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has expanded its list of train cancellations because of approaching winter storms, adding one train to the list for today (Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025) and planned cancellations and increasing the list for Wednesday, Feb. 12, from seven to 14. The original group of cancellations was announced Monday at 4:20 p.m. ET [see […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte’s city council has approved financing to purchase 22 miles of a Norfolk Southern rail line for a proposed commuter rail operation. WCNC-TV reports the council unanimously approved a plan not to exceed $93 million to finance purchase of the NS O-Line from Charlotte to Davidson, north of the city, along with […]
WASHINGTON — Amtrak has begun another round of weather-related train cancellations, announcing three cancellations for Tuesday, Feb. 11, and seven for Wednesday, Feb. 12, because of a pair of winter storm forecasts. According to an advisory posted today (Feb. 10, 2025) at 4:20 p.m., cancelled on Tuesday are: — The eastbound Empire Builder scheduled to […]
CHICAGO — Despite icy conditions across the country’s mid-section and into the Northeast Corridor over the last few days, Amtrak has kept most service running, avoiding widespread weather-related cancellations that occurred throughout January. But substantial initial terminal or en route delays to long-distance trains continue. Many can be traced to mechanical breakdowns. Recent incidents include: […]
As an entity with 50-plus years under its belt, Amtrak now has plenty of its own history, in addition to that of the trains it took over as of May 1, 1971. Thus, it probably should not have been a total surprise when Amtrak launched a through train service in November 2024 between Chicago […]
