NASHVILLE — Music City Star riders may miss a Friday evening ride after today — all because of positive train control. The Regional Transportation Authority’s board of directors recently announced a new Music City Star schedule recently that eliminates a Friday evening round trip between Nashville and Lebanon, Tenn. The schedule also modifies arrival and […]
Zone & Region: Southeast
Winter storm leads to Amtrak cancellations in southeast NEWSWIRE

NEW YORK — Amtrak has cancelled or altered service on a number of trains in the Southeastern U.S. because of a severe winter storm, with some of the changes effective through Tuesday. The cancellations began Saturday. The following trains have been cancelled for today (Sunday, Dec. 9): — Auto Trains No. 52 and 53 between […]
MARTA board approves Atlanta-area commuter train NEWSWIRE

ATLANTA — The board for Atlanta’s transit agency has approved plans for a 22-mile commuter rail line to operate south of the city. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit District board voted on Thursday to approve plans for the line to serve Clayton County, from the existing MARTA rail transit East Point Station to Lovejoy, Ga., […]
Virgin Trains reveals Tampa expansion details; strikes deal with Martin County, opponent group NEWSWIRE

The airport PeopleMover and control tower are visible in this view looking north from the platform of Virgin Trains USA’s Orlando Airport station from Jan. 30, 2018. Room has been provided for platforms for SunRail commuter trains, but those platforms have not yet been built. Bob Johnston A northbound Florida East Coast freight with LNG […]
Port of Mobile eyes automobile manufacturer shippers with port expansions NEWSWIRE

Mobile, Ala. TRAINS: Rick Johnson/Steve Sweeney MOBILE, Ala. — Ongoing Port of Mobile expansion efforts provide potential good news for connecting railroads as a new terminal for roll-on/roll-off ships may provide new rail traffic for finished automobiles. The upgraded terminal is slated to open in 2019, but Jimmy Lyons, director of the Alabama State Port […]
CSX Transportation finds a buyer for Florida panhandle route NEWSWIRE

CSX line sales in Florida CSX Transportation’s line sales are highlighted in yellow on the map. TRAINS: Rick Johnson/Steve Sweeney WASHINGTON — Shortline holding company RailUSA will acquire nearly 375 miles of CSX Transportation main line across the Florida Panhandle. Last week RailUSA notified rail labor on the affected routes that it would be acquiring […]
RJ Corman eager to grow Nashville freight, commuter rail businesses NEWSWIRE

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — R.J. Corman’s family of shortline railroads now includes a significant part of Nashville’s shortline railroading scene. R.J. Corman announced this week it has finalized an agreement to purchase the Nashville & Eastern Railroad Corp.; Nashville & Western Railroad Corp.; Transit Solutions Group, the operator of Nashville’s Music City Star commuter railroad; and […]
RJ Corman buys shortline railroads; Nashville’s ‘Music City Star’ commuter line NEWSWIRE

Nashville & Eastern westbound freight at Brush Creek, Tenn., in October 2016. Steve Glischinski NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. – R. J. Corman Railroad Co. announced the finalization of an agreement to acquire the Nashville & Eastern Railroad Corp.; Nashville & Western Railroad Corp.; Transit Solutions Group, a commuter rail operation; and three related operating entities. The closing […]
A doubleheader to dance about

“Glory!” Doubleheaded Southern Railway Ps-4’s depart Charlottesville, Va., with an Atlanta-bound train in 1951. I. W. King My father, I. W. King, grew up in Greenville, S.C., where his father, I. E. King, was a telegraph operator for the Southern Railway. Like most railroad families, they often used the employee pass to visit relatives. Many […]
First Atlanta-area commuter rail line could be nearing approval NEWSWIRE

ATLANTA — The agency overseeing Atlanta-area transit is preparing to approve the region’s first commuter rail line, a 22-mile route into the city’s south suburbs, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority could approve the line, which would connect an existing MARTA rail line to communities in Clayton County, next month. The […]
Mississippi Central work train

Mikado 131 of the Mississippi Central, a 150-mile line linking Natchez and Hattiesburg, Miss., heads a work train assisting in the cleanup of a mishap west of Brookhaven. The 2-8-2 carries two bells, a characteristic of MSC steam power. C. W. Witbeck photo […]
Coast Line operator

Mrs. L. H. McBratney, operator at Atlantic Coast Line’s WG Tower in Florence, S.C., sends a telegraph message during her third-trick shift in August 1957. William D. Middleton photo […]