Well i must say it is looking grim for railroads in the Galveston, Houston, TX area. We all saw how Katrina shut down the mighty east coast lines, now the same is about to happen to both the BNSF and UP railroads. I just got back from taking the last train off of Galveston Island. Two former BN GP38's and about 45 mixed cars, mostly plastic hoppers from the port of galveston's railway. The entire UP yard, which is the old GH&H, and MP yard is completly empited out, only 5 box cars sit in the transfer track on the old SP yard. We had six that were bad ordered, and could not be moved left behind at the BNSF's former Santa Fe yard. But being born on this sand pile, i and a few others are no strangers to hurricanes. Alicia blowed in and blew down the old yardtower and quite abit of other stuff that was never replaced back in '83. Now Rita spins away in the gulf a mighty catergorey 5, stronger than Katrina even when it was a cat 5, even Houston is under the gun on this one. The problem is Galveston covers and protects all out laying points. This is the home terminal for Houston, Pearland, Bay city and Dayton, TX. There are both assighned yard and thru freigh jobs in Galveston, as well as the on duty point for all extra jobs called from the extra boards. But it is not all about Galveston. When Rita makes land fall its affects will be felt up to a 150 miles inland. UP's Angelton/Brownsville sub sits close to the gulf all the way to Brownsville, TX. And we run over it to get to Baycity, Port Lavaca and Corpus Chrisiti, TX. This line will be out of service for some time when Rita makes land fall, almost serving all ties to Mexico. Then there is the numerous refineries along the way. Also BNSF's Galveston sub will be down as well. It is a main north, south route connecting the gulf coast to the transcon. They are predicting that the entire line from Galveston to wallis, TX will be under water for some time, thats almost 80 miles of its 218 miles. Galveston to Manvel, TX will be the stations hit the hardest, with Galveston yard under an estimated 18 feet of water, with wind, and storm surge damage, it will be some time before its back running smothly. This is also true for areas in Houston. The old Houston Belt & Terminal lines, Houston's Port Terminal Railroad Association and the BNSF Mykawa sub which leads into Houston, and most of UP's lines will flood. However this is not New Orleans, we are above sea level, its just the damage by high winds and storm surges that hurt. And of course there is the fact that over 61% of off shore oil wells are shut down..And with the evacutions of east Harris county, La Porte, Baytown, Deerpark, and Passadena, TX, over 50% of this countries refining capabilities are off line..And the rest are working at 110% to try to keep up with demand at the pump. Gas prices will top 5 dollars a gallon, and heating oil for all you north easterners will be in short supply.
What do i think? Its time to start drilling for oil in Alaska, and refinning it there and in Orgeon and the mid west. If another major hurricane hits the Florida panhandle on the gulf or deep south Texas, we will be importing over 95% of our oil and all but three refineries will be off line, for some time. But this is what happens when to many Liberals let the Fox guard the Hen House, the eggs come up missing from the basket.
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 976acbc16a
www.noaa.com
www.khou.com
See you in about two to three weeks.
What do i think? Its time to start drilling for oil in Alaska, and refinning it there and in Orgeon and the mid west. If another major hurricane hits the Florida panhandle on the gulf or deep south Texas, we will be importing over 95% of our oil and all but three refineries will be off line, for some time. But this is what happens when to many Liberals let the Fox guard the Hen House, the eggs come up missing from the basket.
http://galvestondailynews.com/story.las ... 976acbc16a
www.noaa.com
www.khou.com
See you in about two to three weeks.
