The disastorous past seasons where the RRs did not predict the full extent of hurricane damage are quite a memory.
Our first major forecast hurricane Florence ( although a temporary TS at this time ) is at present headed for NC - SC coasts. It is still early but not to early to plan for landfall. The question always is where will it finally end up attacking the Atlantic coast ? What RRs / Commuter agencies will fall down on the job with the resultant major damages that could have been avoided ? Hope we never have another NJT “Sandy” disaster.
As our posters here of preparations please let us know!
Right calmly prepare for the worse and hope for the best. Most persons will be somewhere in the middle. We are ready but most likely nothing will happen. A 30 MPH wind gust usually kills our electric power
The rainfall is expected to be very impressive on the coast of the Carolinas due to the expectation that the storm will stall along the coast. Think repeat of Houston.
Current tracks indicate that my area is too far North to get much if any affect from the storm. Even if it came my way, the house is 500+ feet above sea level - 35 miles from the Chesapeake Bay and over 100 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The Patapsco River runs through ‘downtown’ and my house is about 150 feet above river level.
Hope that your local city or county storm water system is adequate for such rainfall. Have seen lots of flooded propertys over the years a long way from the nearest creek.
In the past I have seen our city’s public works people come out and check out the storm water drains along the streets in the city - if they are blocked with leaves or other debris they clean them out. This happen prior to any of the forecasts of heavy rain.
Driving NE <> Florida traveling ? Auto Train, I-95 and I-85 all inop travel limited to I-75 Knoxville I-40 to I-81 to PA both ways. It is dooable but several hundered miles longer. Probably I-95 - I-26 - I-77 thru CLT to I-81 will open first ?
It appears that both the roads and RRs need to raise at least one route high enough to allow for some traffic during floods. Wilmington completely cut off at present.
It would have to be a pretty tall embankment to keep a road/railroad above potential flood level. There is also no guarantee that such an embankment won’t erode over time as the result of heavy rains that only caused minor flooding.
Tomorrow Wedensday Crescent resumes service and 2 Piedmont RTs run as well a third Piedmont train set will operate as Carolinian RGH <> CLT ? No Meteor or Star between WASH - JAX. Star Jax <> MIA still operating.
The Star’s high traffic TPA <>1 south Florida seemed to cause this train to operate during whole Florence ?
Since the STAR and Meteor are not operating for a few days yet why doesn’t Amtrak add a sleeper(s) NYP <> ATL Crescent consists as they are already sold out ? Wait that would make the train more revenue. Don’t want to do that.!