Jacksonville, FL-based railroad operator CSX Transportation said it is resuming local freight rail service on its Gulf Coast line to New Orleans. Complete service through the entire area expected to be restored beginning in early February.
Tony Ingram, COO for CSX Transportation, said that over the past five months the company worked to restore six major bridges, more than 40 miles of track, and its major rail yard in New Orleans. The largest engineering challenge in the reconstruction dealt with repairs to the nearly two-mile bridge at Bay St. Louis, MS.
“We are incredibly proud of our employees and contractors for their tireless efforts to help bring the railroad and its economic benefits back to the region,” Ingram said. “Many of them contributed to the rebuild straight through the holidays while dealing with their own storm-related issues at home.”
In New Orleans and the broader Gulf region, CSX handles or interchanges more than 1,000 freight cars per day with western railroads. The company also serves more than 20 industries and ports, delivering products ranging from plastics and resins to building supplies and apparel, said Ingram.
