Hurricane Katrina

[Anonymous]

Hospital ship en route to Gulf

The Associated Press

BALTIMORE — The USNS Comfort hospital ship was preparing today for an expected trip to the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

The Baltimore-based ship is part of the Navy's Military Sealift Command.

"We anticipate an activation order and we're making preparations to get under way," Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, the commander of the Military Sealift Command, said in a brief statement. A spokeswoman said no further information was immediately available.

The Comfort is expected to be part of what many say is the largest domestic disaster relief effort in years. The military is mainly providing search and rescue, medical help and supplies to the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The Comfort is based at an industrial pier in the Canton neighborhood.

The ship sailed from Baltimore to New York on the day after the Sept. 11 attacks and treated injured disaster relief workers from the World Trade Center.



From Jackson Clarion Ledger

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I really wish I had the resources and the time to go down to the area and help evacuate those poor folk. Seeing those poor folk stranded on their roofs and attics is heart wrenching.

Thease looter however need to be shot. Instead of the police handling this, send out some Navy patrol boats and amphibious craft and take them out. I heard that one looter even shot a cop in the head; although the police officer is expected to recover, not the point. Thease scum need to be givin communism like treatment.

I also wonder if any tent cities have been set up as close to the site as safety will permit. Also, does the marines have any spare amphibious craft or landing craft that can go house to house and pick folk up like a bus would make stops?

I also imagine that the center for disease control will have to spray the areas as it will attract an unusual amount of mosquitos which may carry the West Nile Virus.

Give it a rest, especially the moral outrage over the looting. There is no rule of law (not man's law anyway) in the flood zone. People are just trying to survive. They have no food, no water, no electricity, no sanitation, and unless they find a way out, no hope. Put yourself in their position, and think about what you would do.

Law enforcement has no gasoline, and is severely out numbered. Their efforts are going to be needed to help with the evacuation process. Beside, no people means no looting. That is the real goal.

Air rescues are extermely inefficient for the situation in New Orleans. I expect that today we will see boats employed in the rescue and evacuation efforts. Reports are that the number of people at the Superdome has swelled to over 30,000 since the levees broke, up from the 8,000 who initially rode out the storm. There are no resources to care for these people inside the flood zone. They simply must be moved.

There are only 3 logical reasons why people would not obey the original evacuation orders given before the storm. They were too poor to move, too sick to move, or too stupid to move. Darwin is watching.

Let's not forget that this is a railroading forum. I have found LC's reports very interesting. The region affected, and the entire country will be looking to the railroads to carry in the materials for the rebuilding process. KCS has the right idea, inspect everything down to the water line, and restore service as quickly as possible once the waters recede. The others can only do the same.

This old expression is particularly applicable to the situation of the day. When you are up to your a$$ in allegators, it's hard to remember that your goal was to drain the swamp. There is a lot of draining to be done.

If they were just looting groccery store, drug stores and even places for clean clothes, places like that; then I could understand but what the heck are they going to do with electronics and jewlery? I have been watching the news and folk are carting off with that stuff.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I was watching Fox news, and they were running a video loop shot from a helicoptor. There was one shot passing over a small rail yard. There were only a few cars sitting on one track, in what looked like about 4 feet of water. As the camera panned along the line, the rails emerged from the water, exposing the ladder.

It sounds as if the best rail access to New Orleans is going to be from the west, once the water is gone. My question is, what happens to loads in tranist that won't be able to be delivered to industries closed for perhaps months? Are they just held, or are they returned to the shipper? I understand the term embargo to mean that no new loads will be accepted for destinations within the effected area.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I really wish I had the resources and the time to go down to the area and help evacuate those poor folk. Seeing those poor folk stranded on their roofs and attics is heart wrenching.

Thease looter however need to be shot. Instead of the police handling this, send out some Navy patrol boats and amphibious craft and take them out. I heard that one looter even shot a cop in the head; although the police officer is expected to recover, not the point. Thease scum need to be givin communism like treatment.

I also wonder if any tent cities have been set up as close to the site as safety will permit. Also, does the marines have any spare amphibious craft or landing craft that can go house to house and pick folk up like a bus would make stops?

I also imagine that the center for disease control will have to spray the areas as it will attract an unusual amount of mosquitos which may carry the West Nile Virus.

Give it a rest, especially the moral outrage over the looting. There is no rule of law (not man's law anyway) in the flood zone. People are just trying to survive. They have no food, no water, no electricity, no sanitation, and unless they find a way out, no hope. Put yourself in their position, and think about what you would do.

Law enforcement has no gasoline, and is severely out numbered. Their efforts are going to be needed to help with the evacuation process. Beside, no people means no looting. That is the real goal.

Air rescues are extermely inefficient for the situation in New Orleans. I expect that today we will see boats employed in the rescue and evacuation efforts. Reports are that the number of people at the Superdome has swelled to over 30,000 since the levees broke, up from the 8,000 who initially rode out the storm. There are no resources to care for these people inside the flood zone. They simply must be moved.

There are only 3 logical reasons why people would not obey the original evacuation orders given before the storm. They were too poor to move, too sick to move, or too stupid to move. Darwin is watching.

Let's not forget that this is a railroading forum. I have found LC's reports very interesting. The region affected, and the entire country will be looking to the railroads to carry in the materials for the rebuilding process. KCS has the right idea, inspect everything down to the water line, and restore service as quickly as possible once the waters recede. The others can only do the same.

This old expression is particularly applicable to the situation of the day. When you are up to your a$$ in allegators, it's hard to remember that your goal was to drain the swamp. There is a lot of draining to be done.

If they were just looting groccery store, drug stores and even places for clean clothes, places like that; then I could understand but what the heck are they going to do with electronics and jewlery? I have been watching the news and folk are carting off with that stuff.

Don't worry, the looters won't be able to take it out of the city with them. The store owners have insurance for that. They probably aren't covered for the water damage.

Again on Fox news, I watched as a reporter spotted a cop walking along a section of raised highway with a video camera. The reporter hounded him for any kind of answer regarding what all of the stranded people on the highway should do. The cop walked away without a sound. Think about it, what could the cop say? He opens his mouth, and he could be facing an angry mob within minutes.

[daveklepper]

6000 miles away, I feel the pain of the homeless people.

[Anonymous]

Talk is cheap people. Do what tree68 suggested and help em out by donating some money to the Red Cross or your favorite charity.


mike

[Junctionfan]

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

[greyhounds]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I was watching Fox news, and they were running a video loop shot from a helicoptor. There was one shot passing over a small rail yard. There were only a few cars sitting on one track, in what looked like about 4 feet of water. As the camera panned along the line, the rails emerged from the water, exposing the ladder.

It sounds as if the best rail access to New Orleans is going to be from the west, once the water is gone. My question is, what happens to loads in tranist that won't be able to be delivered to industries closed for perhaps months? Are they just held, or are they returned to the shipper? I understand the term embargo to mean that no new loads will be accepted for destinations within the effected area.

If it's underliverable we'd always just call the shipper and ask what he/she wanted us to do.

[cherokee woman]

Our favorite local charity, the WHAS Crusade for Children is taking donations
locally. As with the Crusade for Children donations, 100% of the donations
will go to Hurricane Katrina victims. And we will be giving them a donation.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

All the survivors that cannot find refuge with friends or relatives will all likely end up in tent cities, why they are sending people to the Astrodome is beyond stupid to me, what are they suppose to do sleep in the grandstands for the next 2 months? Shear lunacy!

They need tents, portapotties, mobile kitchens, and mobile hospitals immediatly. i dont see anything being set up, and I fear most of the Nat Guard units equipement like this has been shipped off to Iraq, thats called Planning!

Its taken three days to even mobilize the Nat Guard. Someone's really dropping the ball here...

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by greyhounds

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I was watching Fox news, and they were running a video loop shot from a helicoptor. There was one shot passing over a small rail yard. There were only a few cars sitting on one track, in what looked like about 4 feet of water. As the camera panned along the line, the rails emerged from the water, exposing the ladder.

It sounds as if the best rail access to New Orleans is going to be from the west, once the water is gone. My question is, what happens to loads in tranist that won't be able to be delivered to industries closed for perhaps months? Are they just held, or are they returned to the shipper? I understand the term embargo to mean that no new loads will be accepted for destinations within the effected area.

If it's underliverable we'd always just call the shipper and ask what he/she wanted us to do.

Thanks for the response. I suppose it depends on what is being shipped as to which choice the shipper makes.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

Too bad your talents are being wasted here.....since you seem to know exactly what to do sitting in your comfy home on the computer. Grow up Andrew.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

All the survivors that cannot find refuge with friends or relatives will all likely end up in tent cities, why they are sending people to the Astrodome is beyond stupid to me, what are they suppose to do sleep in the grandstands for the next 2 months? Shear lunacy!

They need tents, portapotties, mobile kitchens, and mobile hospitals immediatly. i dont see anything being set up, and I fear most of the Nat Guard units equipement like this has been shipped off to Iraq, thats called Planning!

Its taken three days to even mobilize the Nat Guard. Someone's really dropping the ball here...

Easy Vic.

The folks are doing the best they can and it takes time to get it together. It doesn't just materialize. If you prestage all the stuff where you think it's going to hit, then you just lost those supplies. Power is out, comms down. Let them try to get some work done before everyone blasts them......how bout instaed blasting a city government, on the Gulf coast, that never really prepared for a hurricane.....relied on antiquated, and ill-planned barriers against the sea.....direct the anger there, not at the folks trying to pick up the pieces..the NG units didn't play a part in that...

[mloik]

Live streaming at:

http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_khou&props=livenoad

[Anonymous]

bah...way too many armchair quarterbacks. wtf? if you're all so smart and wise beyond your years you should be in that line of work. otherwise shut it, and do what you can physically do to help. which in most cases is donate anything you can. dharmon has it right in the comment he made before my post.

on a related note...

a guy i occasionally work with is going south with his semi and flatbed load of track panels either tonight or tomorrow morning. the company he works for does work for hulcher(sp?) hauling these track panels around basically anywhere east of the rockies to derailments. he said it was up to his boss to find as many trucks as possible to head down that way. as of now he said there are about 50 or so going from this area.

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

Too bad your talents are being wasted here.....since you seem to know exactly what to do sitting in your comfy home on the computer. Grow up Andrew.

Excuse me? I have grown up; and I care. I think it you have one hell of a nerve to flame me just because I am getting emotional about people dying. This is an emotional situation and when it comes to watching grown men crying because they have lost loved ones, I make no apologies for getting upset because it is upsetting.

I don't know what you see Dan but I see people in a living hell and I know I can't do anything about it. I don't think you should be making those kind of comments about members when this is a dicussable topic on an open forum. This is me venting my stress in a healthy way and hoping maybe I am giving some helpful ideas whoever is watching.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

All the survivors that cannot find refuge with friends or relatives will all likely end up in tent cities, why they are sending people to the Astrodome is beyond stupid to me, what are they suppose to do sleep in the grandstands for the next 2 months? Shear lunacy!

They need tents, portapotties, mobile kitchens, and mobile hospitals immediatly. i dont see anything being set up, and I fear most of the Nat Guard units equipement like this has been shipped off to Iraq, thats called Planning!

Its taken three days to even mobilize the Nat Guard. Someone's really dropping the ball here...

Easy Vic.

The folks are doing the best they can and it takes time to get it together. It doesn't just materialize. If you prestage all the stuff where you think it's going to hit, then you just lost those supplies. Power is out, comms down. Let them try to get some work done before everyone blasts them......how bout instaed blasting a city government, on the Gulf coast, that never really prepared for a hurricane.....relied on antiquated, and ill-planned barriers against the sea.....direct the anger there, not at the folks trying to pick up the pieces..the NG units didn't play a part in that...

Dan I wasn't pissing on the Guard, I was aiming at the Govenors and Mayors. If I remember correctly, technically its their responsibility to assess to situation and request mobilization of the guard, seems to me you've got a Catagory 5 hurricane and its gonna be driving right up your street, that a prudent Govenor would realize that they are most definetly going to be impacted severly somewhere in your state, and would want to minimize the mobilization time by requesting mobilization prior to the hurricanes arrival, so that when the winds stop, the guard will be ready, or at least nearly ready to move in and help survivors where ever they are. In N.O., Gulfport, Mobile, and Biloxi other than the Coast Guard NO ONE from outside was there for almost 3 days except for TV crews, TV choppers were buzzing overhead, where were the others? Where was the relief? Is it any wonder the people resorted to looting? I would too, if my family was wet, homeless and starving.

As I said, someone (in the government structure) really screwed the pooch here, big-time.

I have a whole new apprieciation of just what going to happen here when we have a large earthquake. I have to assume one full week of no support from outside. If its taken 3 days to get aid there when everyone could clearly see it coming for 3 days, how long will it be when thiers no warning like an EQ. Scary.

BTW news reports stated whats #1 on looters list of item taken,

Water? no. Food?no. Diapers? no.


Guns, and alcohol.....now thats real scary.

[edblysard]

.
Andrew,
Already expecting 80 to 100 thousand refugees here in Houston in the next few days.
Buses are loading at the Superdome as I type this.
The Houston Astrodome is going to become a refugee camp, a city within a city.

I don’t think you grasp the magnitude of the problem.
First, those that stayed in New Orleans were those too poor, too ill or old to evacuate, and of course, those who stayed to loot and prey on the others.

Most can’t or won’t walk out on their own, someone has to go in and get them.

Social services here will be swamped, from the welfare office to the social security office...

Memorial Herman Hospital (one of the first with life flight) is already transporting the seriously ill via helicopter.

HISD(the public school system) has announced that anyone from Louisiana can enroll their child in school, as they are considered homeless...no inoculations needed, no records requested...which will swamp an already overloaded overcrowded, under funded school system.

Unemployeement is expected to jump quite a bit...as will the crime rate, homeless people with nothing have no problem stealing what they need or want.

And keep in mind there is no easy way to move 100 thousand hungry, hot and angry people.

As for the prisons and jails...I don’t hear Canada volunteering to accept them, so we will cram them into an already full state and federal penal system.

And you aint seen nothing yet.
Imagine a city full of people with no drinking water, nor a working sewage system...expect malaria and dysentery due to people drinking dirty water and going to the bathroom where ever they happen to be.

Even if UP and KCS gathered every box car, stole all of Amtrak’s cars, and rounded up every open top mill gondola, they couldn’t run them fast enough, there is only so much track to use and so many trains can use them at the same time.

The National Guard is there, they are coordinating the evacuation right now, but when you are dealing with this many people, nothing can happen quickly.
Just getting in there to them will take a few more days, IH 10 is destroyed in several places, and the back roads are useless.

But well will take them in, feed and cloth them, find them jobs and a place to live, school their kids and fit them in...Because that’s how we do things down here.
Just be patient...

We will get it done...
Ed

[Anonymous]

Ed,
It sounds like Houston is really stepping up. I guess all of the sporting events at the dome till December have been cancelled. Kids are being enrolled in schools all over the area. I teach school in Columbus, about 75 miles west of Houston, and we started getting kids from Louisiana today, mostly at the junior high. I take I-10 home to Schulenburg, and I saw lots of cars with Louisiana plates still heading west. My wife was coming home and heard on the radio that Houstonians were at the dome cooking hot dogs and such for their new visitors. Ed, I really admire you Houstonians as a group for stepping up. That's what the brotherhood of man is all about.


mike

[Train Guy 3]

People down there need two things down there now FOOD and WATER.

[Anonymous]

On a different branch of this topic- That storm went through Montreal today- knockeddown trees, and many people including myself lost power for several hours- Nowfor those of you who are like "so what?" I agree, So what.. ALL I am stating is that by the time the storm traveled a distance of 1800 miles plus, it still had strength to knok down trees, As I look at my clock,not everyone here has power-and they lost it 8-10 hours ago. This was a pretty powerful storm when it went through Here, I can only imagine what it was like down south..

Now i'm going to start getting bitter, their are plenty of other topics that are better to flame in,if you feel the need, take your arguing over there, right now, we're arguing over lima, kidney and red beans- coincidentally, they are all beans, yet some look different. So let's knock it off, because deep down, we are all on the same darn page, but express it differentely.

Let'sstop attacking people, because they can't do anyhting about whats going on, yet they so desperately want to that they say the first thing that comes to their head out OF THIER OWN ANGER because they can't do squat.

COM'MON, get real.

[Junctionfan]

I am glad to hear that good news Ed. Thankyou.

I am also glad to tell the forum that Toronto will be holding a benfit called Toronto loves New Orleans. It will be large fundraiser for the victims of this disaster. Our Foreign Affairs Minster said that Canada will be ready if the U.S should call on us. Canada would send anything from water purification systems to a disaster team branch of our armed forces. I myself will be making some donations of clothing and food to the Salvation Army over the next few months hoping they will send it their way. I don't know how much money I can put together since I will be a student on a government loan but anything I can spare, I will donate it to the American Red Cross.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I can go throuhg my pants and see what money i can come up with aswell.

[edblysard]

.Well Mike,
The Dome hasn’t been used for anything in two years, with Minute Maid park for baseball and Reliant Stadium for the football, its just been sitting there empty.
But it makes a pretty good shelter, will be open tonight, managed by the Red Cross...and, per their spokesman, please do not come here and volunteer to help, they are swamped with volunteers...and don’t bring food, they have no way to store it...do donate to your local chapter, as they can use the funds according to the needs.

Cots and bed rolls already in place, HPD in place, kitchen up and running, showers and toilets in place and working.

Both the Red Cross and the Nat Guard do not want you to go to New Orleans to "help out", there is nothing you can do, and nothing to salvage or help with.

Right now, if you go, you will be just one more body to manage or evacuate, the main concern is to get people out, everything else is being abandoned in place till the levees get fixed and the pumps started, which will be weeks.

If you never lived on the Gulf Coast, you might not get it, but there is nothing to save in New Orleans right now other than the streets....it is going to be a lot worse than you can imagine...the Gulf is a whole nuther critter, totally different than the Pacific or the Atlantic...gators and snakes and all the fun things!

As has been posted before, if you really want to help, write a check to the American Red Cross, and if you are religious, say a prayer, if your not, just be thankful you didn’t live along that stretch of the Gulf.


Ed

[blhanel]

I've already contributed $10 to a local radio station's Red Cross drive, and I'm sure I'll be able to kick in more in the coming weeks. If everyone here could match that, it would be a heck of a boost!

[dldance]

To reinterate and support what Ed has said - the magnitude of this is mind bending. We have a stream of refugees coming into Austin - 350 miles to the west because they aren't finding places closer. The Red Cross has rented one facility until December and that is just for the short term needs.

dd

[UPTRAIN]

I'm telling ya, this is baaaaaaaaaad, all those dead people and animals floating, not to mention the live people looting and nowhere to go, and the live snakes and sharks going up the streets, this is our worst natural disaster to ever happen in the United States since the 60's. One thing though, this is being compared as our tsunami, they had 30 seconds of warning, these people had 5 days, while some of them lagitamently couldn't leave due to health or had nobody to help them, for most of them it is their own fault for staying. The looters, my God, steal the food, eat it, don't let it waste, those plasma TV's have a shelf life and there's nowhere to plug it in anyway, I wi***hose punks would get a grip. What people really need to prepare for is how the death toll will rise when the water goes down and they start recovering bodies out of attics of houses that people kept climbing up in when the levees broke, it's gonna get worse.

[Anonymous]

August 31, 2005

Norfolk Southern Post-Katrina Operations Returning To Normal

NORFOLK, VA -- Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC) said its rail
operations in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi are returning to
normal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, with the exception of the
immediate New Orleans area.

“Lines are open, trains are moving, and we are ready to do our part in
the overall recovery,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David
R. Goode. “Communities, customers and recovery organizations can depend
on rail transportation. Our thoughts are with them, and our resources
are at their call.”

Norfolk Southern said freight that regularly travels through New
Orleans for connection to other carriers is being rerouted through the
railroad’s other gateways.

Since the hurricane struck, Norfolk Southern crews have inspected some
1,400 miles of railroad and removed 3,680 trees on lines in the Gulf
States.

Stephen C. Tobias, vice chairman and chief operating officer, credited
NS people and systems with the quick and safe recovery. “Railroaders
have had their share of experience in responding to hurricanes, from
Camille to Andrew and from Fran to Hugo. When Katrina came, they were
prepared, they knew what to do, and they did it safely,” he said.

Preparations included moving rolling equipment inland and staging
people, ballast, rail and equipment just outside the hurricane’s path.
Transportation planners used the railroad’s Thoroughbred Operating Plan
to plot “what if” scenarios in advance of Katrina’s arrival, allowing
for efficient rerouting of freight.

Tobias said repairs will get under way in the next several days on
Norfolk Southern’s 5.8-mile long concrete ballast trestle across Lake
Pontchartrain from Slidell, La., to New Orleans, where several miles of
rail were washed from the top of the bridge. Additionally, Norfolk
Southern’s Oliver Yard in New Orleans was under water as of this
morning. “Once we restore rail to the bridge and repair adjacent
trackage, and once water recedes, we will be able to move needed
materials and supplies into the area,” Tobias said. “We recognize the
extreme need of our neighbors in New Orleans, and we will work as
quickly and safely as possible to help in their recovery.”

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier
transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary
operates approximately 21,300 route miles in 22 states, the District of
Columbia and Ontario, Canada, serving every major container port in the
eastern United States and providing superior connections to western
rail carriers. NS operates the most extensive intermodal network in the
East and is North America’s largest rail carrier of automotive parts
and finished vehicles.

###

For further information contact:
(Media) Bob Fort, 757-629-2710 ([e-mail])
(Investors) Leanne Marilley, 757-629-2861 ([e-mail])





-------------
Norfolk Southern Corporation
http://www.nscorp.com

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear

Those interested may also wi***o look at the Railinc (AAR) embargo page at www.embargo.railinc.com. This shows all the filed railroad embargoes including those for Hurricane katrina related matters.

LC

http://embargo.railinc.com/

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

As far as enforcing laws and not knowing where to put prisoners including current prisoners from destroyed prisons, pretend it is war time. What do you do with a whole bunch of POWs during war? Answer; build stockades. There is a whole bunch of fields and stuff that are empty in the surrounding states even that could be set up with tent cities for the refugees, mobile hospitals and MASH units for the wounded and sick and POW camp style stockages/bases. Build some facilities for transloading supplies and repairing/refueling choppers as needed. Ask folk in surrounding states to temperarly donate there boats if they have them and move them to New Orleans so authorities can have a means other than helicopter to evacuate the stranded on their roofs and attics.

I really don't understand why they can't figure this out. It's not friggen rocket science.

Too bad your talents are being wasted here.....since you seem to know exactly what to do sitting in your comfy home on the computer. Grow up Andrew.

Excuse me? I have grown up; and I care. I think it you have one hell of a nerve to flame me just because I am getting emotional about people dying. This is an emotional situation and when it comes to watching grown men crying because they have lost loved ones, I make no apologies for getting upset because it is upsetting.

I don't know what you see Dan but I see people in a living hell and I know I can't do anything about it. I don't think you should be making those kind of comments about members when this is a dicussable topic on an open forum. This is me venting my stress in a healthy way and hoping maybe I am giving some helpful ideas whoever is watching.

Andrew...I've seen alot worse than this and up close and in person....yeah really.....all the sage advice you keep doling out ain't helping anyone....."someone needs to, and they shoulda done that, and how could they do this".....If I was as half as smart now as I was when I was your age...we'd have no wars, free beer, people would live forever and have all the sex we wanted....but alas I digress.....sometimes you need to engage brain before keyboard.....The folks there are doing the best they can. You honestly..unless you have see something like this before....a hurricane, plane crash, mass grave, destroyed city..in person....and I mean in person smelling it...cannot grasp the severity and awe of it. So just give it a rest.

Dan