Railroads Rebuild After Katrina

[james423]

Although this is a publicity response to a disaster, I thought it was interesting.

The Railroad Industry's Response to Hurricane Katrina

http://www.railfanclub.org/archives/newsletters/oct05/katrina.htm

Railroads serving the hurricane-ravaged area along the Gulf Coast have now restored service to most of the areas that were hit by Hurricane Katrina.

Working around the clock, railroad crews cleared trees and other debris from hundreds of miles of track, repaired washed out line segments and repaired damaged bridges. Some lines remained out of service, however, because of the extent of the destruction. Railroads continued to divert some freight to other routes, going through a number of other gateways, including Memphis, Nashville, Montgomery, St. Louis and Chicago.

Meanwhile, railroads continued their efforts to aid in the relief and reconstruction. Carloads of water and food from as far away as Maine and California have been delivered to the area. Four FEMA trains totaling 158 cars of temporary homes were delivered to Selma, AL. Other trains were carrying fuel, lumber and repair materials to aid in the reconstruction efforts.

Here is a status report from each of the Class I railroads serving the area:

• BNSF Railway: On Sept. 13, BNSF opened its New Orleans Intermodal Terminal so that customers could pick up containers and storage charges are being waived. At present, the terminal is open only for pickups from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. BNSF has resumed interchanging carload freight at New Orleans with both CN and Norfolk Southern as those rail lines into the city were reopened.

• CN: CN's direct route into New Orleans from Hammond, LA was returned to service Sept. 13 and service has now been restored to all CN stations affected by Hurricane Katrina with the exception of New Orleans where there is still very limited access to industries. Its New Orleans yard (Mays Yard) has been restored to service, but its intermodal yard remains closed for now.

CN is now able to interchange traffic directly with BNSF, UP, NS and KCS at New Orleans (Mays Yard). Arrangements have been made with the CSXT to handle their New Orleans interchange traffic at Mobile and Effingham until such time as CSXT is able to restore its direct route to New Orleans.

• CSX Transportation: CSXT's line from Mobile, AL through Pascagoula, MS to New Orleans, which hugs the Gulf Coast, was the most seriously damaged line in the region's rail network. That line remains out of service as workers restore track and repair a number of bridges. CSXT's network between Mobile and Flomaton, AL and between Mobile and Pascagoula, MS was restored over the Labor Day weekend. Service on these lines will resume after assessment of individual customers' track and equipment ensures that their shipments can be moved safely.

At the same time it was rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, CSXT was making preparations for a second hurricane that was expected to come ashore in North Carolina on September 14.

CSXT operations on its lines at Wilmington, NC were suspended on the evening of Sept. 13. Crossing gates were secured, equipment and ballast was staged outside the projected storm area to aid in cleanup of storm debris and track and signal restoration.

• Kansas City Southern: Most embargoes have been lifted and Kansas City Southern's line into New Orleans is now in operation. Embargoes in New Orleans have been lifted for traffic interchanged with NS or CN. Embargoes remain in effect for Gulfport and Delisle, MS and for New Orleans proper. The existing embargoes will remain until customers or interchanging railroads are ready to handle the traffic.

• Norfolk Southern: Norfolk Southern has completed repairs to its Lake Pontchartrain Bridge, restoring rail freight service into New Orleans and reopening important interchange points with western rail carriers. NS began interchanging freight with BNSF and Union Pacific in New Orleans on Sept. 13.

Nearly five miles of track were washed from the top of the 5.8-mile long rail bridge and into the lake. Nine cranes on barges were used to lift the track out of the water and back onto the bridge. Nine miles of track running through New Orleans itself required major repairs due to washouts and other water-related problems.

While repairs were being completed, freight that regularly traveled through New Orleans for connection to other carriers was rerouted through the railroad's other gateways.

"With the reopening of the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge, we are ready to assist in the transportation of supplies and materials in and out of the city," said Norfolk Southern President Wick Moorman. "We are committed to serving New Orleans over the long-term, and our rail line can serve as a vital link in the recovery process."

• Union Pacific: In addition to once again interchanging freight with NS at New Orleans, Union Pacific has opened its Taft and Avondale Yards for local customers who have reopened. Presently the yards are only open during daylight hours, due to police-enforced curfews in the New Orleans area.

• Amtrak: Amtrak continues to hold two trains in reserve at LaFayette, LA for possible use in the relief effort.

The railroad continues to work with the freight railroads to restore passenger service that has been suspended since before the hurricane struck. Amtrak has also begun doing repair work at the New Orleans station. Currently, trains 58 and 59 which normally provide daily service between Chicago and New Orleans are operating only as far as Hammond, LA. Trains 19 and 20, which provide daily service between New York and New Orleans, are operating between Meridian, MS and New York. Trains 1 and 2, which operate between Los Angeles and Orlando through New Orleans, are operating only between San Antonio and Los Angeles. There is no estimate as to when these trains will once again operate into New Orleans.

Ports Reopen

Both the ports of New Orleans and Mobile have reopened for business.

New Orleans reopened on Sept. 12 when it handled a shipment of steel coils that were then scheduled to move to an auto manufacturer in Alabama. The first container ship --- with a supply of coffee and wood products --- was unloaded on Sept. 14. The port is also serving as an important staging area for relief and repair supplies destined for the region.

Port President and CEO Larry LaGrange said that within a month the port should be handling 50 percent of pre-hurricane volume. He expects that to increase to 80 percent after three months.

Many of the longshoreman who operate the port are being housed in temporary facilities including ships that have been docked at the port.

The Alabama State Port Authority, meanwhile, reported that the Port of Mobile is open to 43 foot draft and has returned to 24-hour two-way vessel movement. Normally the port is open to 45-foot draft. The Authority said it is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to restore the 45-foot draft.

Tank Cars Withstand Katrina

There is no evidence that any dangerous chemicals have leaked from rail tank cars that were overturned in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.

Mike McDaniel, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, said, "We have no visual evidence from reconnaissance of leaks or spills." He added that teams are still testing the cars for leaks.

He said the state had conducted flyovers of railroad cars using specialized equipment and those hadn't discovered any leaks. Nor has air monitoring equipment picked up any evidence of chemicals or toxins in the area from railcars.

AAR Matches Employee Contributions to Hurricane Relief

The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the displaced lives of the people in the region brings us all to look for ways in which we can help. The Association of American Railroads has set up a Disaster Relief Matching Gift Program to help ensure every dollar AAR employees give goes twice as far.

The AAR will match dollar-for-dollar active employee’s donations up to $250.00 to the American Red Cross and America’s Second Harvest. In addition, the following funds have been set up to help the displaced employees of our member companies. The AAR will match employee contributions to the following member programs established to help these affected railroad employees:

• Union Pacific "Friend-to-Friend" Network

• CSXT Employees Disaster Relief Fund

“Together we can contribute to the recovery efforts either through donations to the national organizations, or to one of the two funds established by our member companies to assist affected railroad employees,” said Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of AAR.

[Neil D]

Thanks James....appreciate the update....

Something else that needs to be looked at...The rail road has to maintain the rails to drive it's trains...Seems to me that is a transportation department problem...If the US were to take that part the railways over and maintain it, then the trains could be run more profitably.

What do the rest of you thinK?