Monday morning rail news: CSX train derailed by washout; chemical fire spurs evacuation Residents in a portion of Lilburn, Ga., were evacuated early Sunday morning after 38 cars of a CSX train derailed in the community 10 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, leading to a chemical fire. Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services reports a crew member […]
Wednesday morning rail news: Freight, Amtrak service to New Orleans disrupted as hurricane approaches The New Orleans Flood Protection Authority plans to begin closing the city’s floodgates today in preparation for Hurricane Delta, which will interrupt the flow of freight traffic through the city, Norfolk Southern is advising customers. The storm is projected to make landfall […]
Tuesday afternoon rail news: Miami-Dade delays vote on preferred station locations for Brightline commuter operation A planned vote on station locations for Miami’s proposed commuter rail service between downtown and Aventura, Fla., using Brightline’s route was put off Tuesday, after Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez exercised his right to delay last-minute legislation. The Miami Herald reports the […]
Friday morning rail transit news: Brightline, Miami-Dade move closer to commuter rail agreement Brightline and Miami-Dade County are closer to an agreement on commuter rail operation on the southern portion of Brightline’s route, and a competition is planned to decide where to build stations for the service. The Miami Herald reports a memo from Mayor […]
Monday morning rail news: Tri-Rail to add trains as of Sept. 16 South Florida’s Tri-Rail will increase commuter rail operations as of Sept. 16, and plans to reinstate fare collection as of Oct. 1. The agency announced the train will begin operating 35 trains on weekdays and 15 on weekends and holidays, increasing peak-period weekday […]
Monday preservation and tourist railroad news: Boca Raton rail museum, former FEC station, is sold The Boca Raton Historical Society has sold the former Florida East Coast Railway train station that houses its Boca Express Train Museum for $2.1 million, Law.com reports. Mizner Arts LLC is listed as the buyer. The station was built in […]
More Thursday morning rail news: Miami-area groups form organization to push for commuter service on Brightline route Miami-area business groups have organized to push for a proposal that would see commuter operations on the southernmost part of Brightline’s route between West Palm Beach, Fla., and Miami. Bisnow.com reports organizations including the Wynwood Business Improvement District, […]
The layout at a glance Name: Midwest & Southern Atlantic RR Layout owner: Dale Martell Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 8 x 22 feet Theme: freelanced Locale: Midwest to western North Carolina Era: 1954 Style: walk-in Mainline run: 78 feet Minimum radius: 24″ (main), 18″ (sidings) Minimum turnout: Peco small radius Maximum grade: 1.5 percent Benchwork: […]
Downhill skiing buffs immediately think of the winter vacation destination (and site of the 1960 winter Olympics) in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains when “Squaw Valley” is mentioned. More than 50 years ago, the name Squaw Valley came to the mountains of Western North Carolina under entirely different circumstances. To set the stage, I was a […]
Thursday morning commuter rail news: Tri-Rail adding two round trips to schedule South Florida’s Tri-Rail will add to its commuter rail schedule as of Monday, June 29, adding two additional round trips to its current schedule of 11 trains in each direction. Weekend service will remain at six round trips. South Florida Regional Transportation Authority […]
More Thursday rail news: NS sells Norfolk headquarters building Norfolk Southern has sold its headquarters building in Norfolk,Va., as it prepares to relocate to Atlanta. TowneBank, based in Suffolk, Va., and the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters have completed purchase of the Norfolk Southern Tower, with each planning to occupy 10 floors of the […]
More Wednesday morning rail news: Gwinnett County, Ga., voters may again see transit initiative Voters in Georgia’s Gwinnett County may cast ballots on a transit referendum, including extension of Atlanta’s MARTA heavy-rail system, for the second year in a row. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports county commissioners voted 3-1 in favor of advancing a $12 […]
