The following is the text of an Amtrak Special Employee Advisory dated
September 6, 2005:
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Dear Co-workers,
Let me update you on the situation in Louisiana and Mississippi.
First, we are very concerned about the safety and welfare of our employees
who’ve been affected by the hurricane, and we’re reaching out to them. If
you know of any employees who have not yet called the EAP Hotline, please
have them do so. The number is (800) 327-6448. It is imperative that we
contact all employees. Second, we want to do what we can so that if they
are able to return to work, they may. Third, we want to make it possible
for Amtrak employees to help other employees in need.
Despite great difficulty, we’ve managed to contact about three-quarters of
our 370 New Orleans area employees. Many of them are facing very tough
times right now. A number of them have lost all they have. We are making
plans so that Amtrak employees can donate money and vacation time to these
employees. When this is established, we will let you know.
As you can imagine, as we had a T&E and OBS crew base there, many employees
have already begun to bid on vacancies and apply for transfers elsewhere
around the system. To help ease the situation, we are allowing employees
doing this to stay at crew hotels free of charge for the next 30 days.
Also, affected Mechanical employees are being offered positions in Meridian
and Jackson right now. Engineering employees and APD officers based in New
Orleans are going to be needed there as we clean up and secure our
facilities.
Last Tuesday, we faced the following conditions, as all the railroads were
hit hard by Katrina: The CSX east of New Orleans was out for months, at
least. The CN was closed south of Hammond and wasn’t going to reopen for
days. The NS suffered extensive damage over Lake Pontchartrain, and was to
be closed for several weeks. The first line to be opened was the BNSF from
Avondale at the east end of the Huey Long Bridge in New Orleans to
Lafayette. This could happen once the railroad repaired the Bayou Boeuf
Bridge, which had been hit by a runaway barge.
When we knew that the BNSF would be the first line to open, we got in touch
with the federal authorities to let them know that we could move a trainset
from McComb on the CN through Hammond, then across to the UP to Baton Rouge
and on to Avondale in New Orleans (via freight tracks). Knowing this, the
Department of Homeland Security and FEMA asked that we prepare a service
shuttling evacuees out of New Orleans.
Working quickly with the freights, we made up the train and had it depart
Baton Rouge late Friday night for New Orleans. Saturday morning our train
evacuated 97 passengers to Lafayette, where they then transferred to buses
for Texas.
During this time, we worked with Houston Metro Transit to arrange bus
transportation to various Texas destinations and prepared to make
twice-a-day departures from New Orleans to Lafayette, with each train
carrying up to 600 passengers. However, Saturday afternoon we were asked by
the federal authorities to suspend the operation because Texas was no
longer accepting evacuees. Since then, we have told FEMA and the FRA that
we have two trainsets now positioned in Lafayette – one of Horizon
equipment (moved east from Los Angeles) and the other Superliner (from
McComb). This equipment could be used for evacuees, law enforcement,
military, clean-up workers or anyone else as may be needed. We are standing
ready to assist as necessary.
We are going to make every effort to restore regular passenger service to
New Orleans as soon as possible. Right now, the Crescent is turning at
Atlanta. That will be extended to Meridian in less than a week. The City of
New Orleans is running to Memphis and will be extended to Jackson and
Hammond. The Sunset Limited is turning at San Antonio. We’ll make an
assessment of how soon it can go to New Orleans, but it will be a very long
time before it goes east of there, given the damage to the rail line
through Biloxi and Gulfport.
At this time, we know that the station and the shops in New Orleans
sustained a lot of flooding and hurricane damage. The coach shop lost 75
percent of its roof. Fortunately, all of the equipment that could move
(seven locomotives and 20 cars) was dispatched to McComb before the
hurricane struck, except for a single locomotive that’s been powering the
station. (That locomotive has been refueled and continues to operate.)
Today, we had 15 employees from track, B&B and signal making assessments,
preparing lists of needed materials and beginning the planning of repairs.
As soon as we can, we are going to re-establish service north and west out
of New Orleans.
Let me add that the station is being temporarily used by the state
Department of Corrections to hold prisoners, but we are working closely
with the department and their presence won’t impede restoring our
operations. They will be there only temporarily.
Many employees have asked how they can help. We are encouraging donations
to the American Red Cross and other relief organizations. Donations are
more effective than actual supplies right now, as moving things to New
Orleans and the other communities along the Gulf Coast is very difficult.
We are also going to set up some kind of fund for our own employees that
will include vacation time. Finally, if you are in need of assistance, do
not hesitate to call the Hotline and ask for help – that’s what we are all
here for.
Many employees have been working around the clock in the aftermath of the
hurricane and I want to personally thank them for their efforts. They have
again demonstrated this railroad’s competence under some very trying
circumstances. There are simply too many people to mention in this space
who have put in a 110 percent effort, but they will be recognized at the
appropriate time.
I am sure I will have more updates soon.
Sincerely,
David L. Gunn
