USA: trains cancelled due to blizzards

[John Ashworth]

BBC 27 December 2010 Last updated at 06:47 GMT

Travel chaos as blizzards hit eastern United States

Blizzards have swept north along the eastern coast of the US, forcing the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights and disrupting rail and road traffic.

The winter storm closed New York airports, stranding thousands of people on a busy post-Christmas travel day.

National rail operator Amtrak suspended passenger services between New York and Boston, where some 30cm (1ft) of snow was expected.

Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia declared emergencies.

The southern states of Georgia and South Carolina had their first white Christmas in more than a century.

But Washington DC appeared likely to escape the blizzard, with a small amount of snowfall expected.

The National Weather Service said the monster snow storm was the result of a low pressure system off North Carolina's coast which was moving north-east and intensifying.

Officials in eastern Canada said they were also bracing for the storm.

'Numerous crashes'

The timing of the snowstorm meant disruption for many thousands travelling after Christmas reunions and hampered the start of the shopping sales season.

None of the three major airports serving New York - JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airport - were allowing flights in or out on Sunday evening.

Passengers camped out on floors in terminals.

Flights were also cancelled at other airports across the north-east and at airports in Washington, Baltimore and Chicago.

Delta spokesman Kent Landers said the airline expected cancellations on Monday morning across the north-east but "certainly by Tuesday morning we are aiming to resume normal operations throughout the east coast".

Other airlines were expecting more cancellations and operators were scrambling to rebook passengers.

Snow began falling around New York City late on Sunday morning and up to 18in was predicted to fall on the New Jersey coast, with heavy wind gusts.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: "Unfortunately our city is directly in the path. It's hard to stand up in a 55mph wind, so this really is dangerous."

The authorities have deployed 1,700 snow ploughs and about 2,400 street cleaners have been called in to clear snow in the city.

Amtrak announced it was cancelling services between Boston and New York City "due to the blizzard conditions affecting a good portion of the east coast".

New York's Long Island Rail Road also suspended its service.

Many bus routes serving the east coast were also cancelled

Airline cancellations on Sunday included:

* Delta Airlines - about 850 flights - mainly from North and South Carolina up to Boston
* Continental Airlines - 265 flights, primarily from Newark Liberty International Airport
* United Airlines - 110 flights from Newark, Philadelphia, LaGuardia and JFK, Boston and other airports
* British Airways and Virgin were among operators cancelling flights from Britain to many eastern US destinations, including New York

Heavy snow is also affecting road travel, with reports of numerous crashes and other accidents across the east coast.

[Mike Haslam]

And up here in central Vermont this morning, the blizzard has come in with a vengeance. We are not moving out of the house, snow is piled up against the windows and all I can see in my mind is the warm dust of Capital Park and 2650, simmering in the sun.......