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When Hurricane Lili smashes ashore today, bringing 100-mile-an-hour winds and 20 inches of rain to Louisiana, its impact on Norfolk Southern Railway and Burlington Northern Santa Fe might be minimized because of precautions the Class Is put in place Oct. 2.


NS moved all equipment out of its New Orleans terminal to higher ground and suspended operations in the area, as well as moved all equipment out of its Mobile, Ala., terminal because of a storm-surge flooding risk.


BNSF moved about 400 rail cars off Galveston Island, Texas, in case the storm caused high water.


The western Class I also halted New Orleans interchanges with all eastern rail carriers and a Galveston interchange with Union Pacific Railroad, and removed from service about 100 grade crossings between Iowa Junction (near Lake Charles) and Avondale, La.


Similar to NS, BNSF closed its New Orleans intermodal facility, which it tentatively plans to reopen it at 7 a.m. (CST) Oct. 4, pending the hurricane's severity.