Let's remember Amtrak employees in NOL LA

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Just some information regarding Amtrak facilities in NOL:

Union Station had been severely burned by natural gas leak that broke on Loyola Ave, just across from Plaza Tower, about three blocks from the Superdome/Poydras Plaza area, in addition to severe indoor flooding, approximately chest deep in concourse. Crew Base building is severely flooded, not known about second floor where OBS and T&E offices are. As of 12 noon, the water has stopped rising in the Union Station area but water continues to rise in the car shop, mechanical yard, etc. located under the US Bus. 90/I-10 interchange where people are now staying to keep out of the water. I'll try to give an update when I can. I'm a former OBS employee from NOL who just moved to NW Louisiana to take a job with the Dept. of the Interior, and we are currently being evacuated away from relief efforts due to rising treats of gangs shooting guns at government and civilian relief forces. I don't see Amtrak operations returning to NOL in the near future.

PS: I'm OBS's friend whom he sometimes speaks of in your forum
 
Randy Henderson said:
Just some information regarding Amtrak facilities in NOL:
Union Station had been severely burned by natural gas leak that broke on Loyola Ave, just across from Plaza Tower, about three blocks from the Superdome/Poydras Plaza area, in addition to severe indoor flooding, approximately chest deep in concourse. Crew Base building is severely flooded, not known about second floor where OBS and T&E offices are. As of 12 noon, the water has stopped rising in the Union Station area but water continues to rise in the car shop, mechanical yard, etc. located under the US Bus. 90/I-10 interchange where people are now staying to keep out of the water. I'll try to give an update when I can. I'm a former OBS employee from NOL who just moved to NW Louisiana to take a job with the Dept. of the Interior, and we are currently being evacuated away from relief efforts due to rising treats of gangs shooting guns at government and civilian relief forces. I don't see Amtrak operations returning to NOL in the near future.

PS: I'm OBS's friend whom he sometimes speaks of in your forum
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Mr. Henderson,

Welcome to our forum. What a mess the station is can Amtrak apply for a FEMA Grant to pay for this?
 
The Amtrak station in New Orleans is next door to the Superdome. A satellite photo showed the station tracks are just fine, but the track(s) leading to and from the station is (are) under water.
 
Midland Valley said:
The United Methodist Congress on Evangelism is scheduled in NO for Jan 3-6 at the sheraton on Canal Street. I hope they do not move it to another city as the wife and I are taking the SWC/CNO to get there and we are to stay in the Doubletree about two blocks south (to get reward points). But my point is, that the city will need income as soon as possible, yes the Amtrak and other rail employees as well as hotels, cruise lines, the casino etc. I hope the conventions and other gatherings don't bail on NO. Besides I really want to ride the City of NO.
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Well we won't be having our meeting in New Orleans in January. I'm waiting for them to decide where it will be and hopefully it will be somewhere Amtrak can get to. Maybe Memphis, and I won't have to change tickets. Still, the loss of revenue for NO will be staggering.
 
Many of the major conventions are considering moving to Atlanta, where there are several major convention center facilities - and Amtrak service - although I don't know where you are coming from. good luck
 
Houston wouldn't be good at all. Orlando or Atlanta would be ok but I would have to allow for an extra day going and coming. (maybe more for Orlando, with the slow East Coast trains.) Hopefully within 12-14 days we will know. Who knows, some hotels are lit up tonight in NO so maybe by Jan. ? Well, anyway we'll see. Maybe my first suggestion of Memphis will work out. But the arrival and departure times are not good for people going to hotels there.
 
I just wanted to let everyone know that furlough letters have been issued for the entire OBS staff at NOL. After speaking with only three employees, two are going to LAX and one went to CHI. I'm happy to hear about the police using NO Union Station. It's going to cause major cleanup issues, but asserts the fact that the facility isn't as bad as I feared from seeing it from the air in a helicopter. Let's hope for the best so we can see trains return to NOL as quickly as possible. I do fear however that Amtrak's push to cut OBS costs and food service, especially the City of New Orleans' dining car, has now become a perminent fixture for the FY06 operating schedule on 58/59. It is very possible that the end of the NOL OBS crew base my be in hand. Lets hope that this doesn't become permenant. As many of you already now, the NOL crew base was closed before for about three years, but returned to operate 58/59 and 19/20 (dining car retained by NYP).

In addition to staff, NOL's OBS crew base manager, Ms. Tyson has a home in SDL. In addition, Mr. Bill Rawlins, an OBS chief, has his home in Waveland, the town directly hit by the hurricane. These are great people at the crew base who I think very much of. I wish them the best in these bad times.
 

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