Throughout history, meteors have been regarded as fascinating and portentous events, with bygone astronomers diligently recording their occurrence. The research presented herein continues in this tradition, using modern instruments, software, and data reduction techniques to study long-lasting meteor trail phenomena, specifically in the optical (persis- tent trains; PTs) and radio (meteor radio afterglows; MRAs) regimes. The overarching goal was to investigate the similarities between these phenomena, which began with the creation of a PT catalog. Many of the prior assumptions about the nature of PTs were found to be unsubstantiated, and several new behaviors were uncovered. This includes the discovery of a semiannual variation in the occurrence rate of PTs, which is closely mirrored by at- mospheric ozone. A similar catalog of MRAs was created from data obtained by the Long Wavelength Array (LWA), enabling comparison between the phenomena. We conclude by presenting a prospectus of new instruments and planned scientific endeavors.