Snow shuts down New Orleans transit (updated)

Logo of New Orleans Regional Transit Authority

NEW ORLEANS — Here’s an advisory you don’t see every day: New Orleans has shut down its transit system because of snow. All trolley and bus operations were suspended as of 11 p.m. Monday night, and no services will operate today (Jan. 21), the New Orleans Regional Transportation Authority reports on its website. The suspension […]

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Houston-New York service gets highest ranking in FRA long-distance report

Map showing 15 proposed long-distance routes from FRA study

WASHINGTON — A Houston-New York route received the highest preliminary ranking in the Federal Railroad Administration’s newly released Long-Distance Service Study final report, which considers 15 previously identified routes for new or restored Amtrak service. However, the report says the rankings “do not reflect prioritization for implementation funding,” but may “provide guidance on future priorities […]

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Lionel Legacy F19 Pacific

steam locomotive on layout

The F19 Pacific-type was distinctive for its air pumps lining the front of the smokebox. These steam locomotives were developed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, and famously pulled the George Washington between Cincinnati and Washington D.C. One feature that made the train a stand out was the Pullman heavyweights that featured the route’s name […]

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FRA approves first autonomous rail car test program

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will allow Parallel Systems to test its autonomous, self-propelled flatcar system on a pair of Genesee & Wyoming short lines in Georgia. The FRA last week approved the request from Parallel, Georgia Central Railway, and Heart of Georgia Railroad. In August 2023 the Los Angeles-based Parallel and the G&W […]

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Carload Considerations: The pivot to improvising

Coal train passes interlocking tower in snow

Developing and adhering to a structured operating plan gives railroads a step-by-step process to running their trains. The structure is required to drive long-term success. And whether it’s your daily routine or running a 23-state railroad network, having a plan is important. In recent years, it’s been a template of fewer but longer scheduled trains […]

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Cleanup continuing after CSX derailment near Monon, Ind.

CSX logo

MONON, Ind. — Cleanup is continuing after 15 cars of a CSX train derailed near Monon on Saturday morning, disrupting operation of Amtrak’s Cardinal both into and out of Chicago. The derailment occurred about 7:10 a.m. at the West Pass siding northwest of Monon. As a result, the westbound Cardinal due to arrive in Chicago […]

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House subcommittee schedules hearing on freight and passenger rail

Trains Washington Watch logo

WASHINGTON — The House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials has announced plans to hold a hearing on freight and passenger rail issues and the state of the railroad industry this Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The hearing, entitled “America Builds: Examining America’s Freight and Passenger Rail Network,” is set for 10 a.m. ET in […]

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Appeals court blocks rule allowing movement of LNG by rail

WASHINGTON — A federal court has struck down a Department of Transportation rule on transportation of liquefied natural gas enacted in 2020, saying the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration did not sufficiently consider the safety risks involved. Specifically, the decision by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia […]

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MTA, NJ Transit prepare for winter weather

NEW YORK — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and NJ Transit are advising passengers to be prepared for service changes as a winter storm moves into the area on Sunday, Jan. 19. In a press release on statewide storm preparations, the MTA says it is closely monitoring the weather but currently has no changes to […]

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