Railroads, ports prepare for Hurricane Francine

Ahead of Hurricane Francine’s landfall along the Gulf Coast, railroads and area ports are monitoring the storm’s intensity as it grows and are preparing for flooding and high winds. Louisiana and the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) are expected to bear the brunt of the storm.

The hurricane is expected to hit as a Category 2 Hurricane this afternoon, according to AccuWeather and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Francine is expected to bring heavy rainfall and considerable potential for flash and urban flooding across southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, southern Alabama, and northern Florida.

In a customer advisory yesterday, Union Pacific Railroad said it taking actions to mitigate the storm's potential impact on its operations. UP is staging generators, additional fuel, rail ballasts and panels, and is scheduling supplemental transportation and hotels for crew members.

UP also said it is securing crossing signal gates, positioning water jumps and contacting customers expected to be affected by the storm.

Norfolk Southern Railway notified customers yesterday that it is monitoring the storm, although it does not expect  impact to service aside from fallout due to delayed interchanges and closed ports.

Meanwhile, Port NOLA has closed today, with reopening slated for Thursday. Port officials will assess damage before deciding whether the port can reopen by Thursday. New Orleans Public Belt Railroad operations and its administration building also are closed today.