Amtrak, Nagin Argue Over Rescue Train

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Amtrak, Nagin Argue Over Rescue Train

Officials at Amtrak say they offered to run a special train out of New Orleans that could have evacuated hundreds of residents hours before Hurricane Katrina struck - but city officials turned the offer down.

"We offered the city the opportunity to take evacuees out of harm's way," Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black told the Washington Post on Sunday. "The city declined."

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[Allen Dee]

I am foaming at the mouth to reply to this post.

After all of the sparks have stopped flying, and all of the investigations into this matter have been completed, I hope many heads will roll.

There was absolutety no excuse for this train from New Orleans to Mc Comb to operate empty of passengers. Those people could have walked from the Superdome to NOUPT. Even if the train was filled with standees packed to the doors, it could have been successful in moving a large number of evacuees.

What we need to find out is who at Amtrak contacted who at the city to advertise the availability of this effective means of evacuation. We also need to know exactly who at the city declined the offer from Amtrak.

On another note, I am sure that most of you have seen the picture of 215 school buses submerged in the flooding of New Orleans. My question is why weren't these buses used to evacuate residents prior to landfall of the hurricane? The city claimed that they could not find enough qualified, licensed drivers who were willing to make the move. More on this topic later.

I am also sure that most of you have heard the story about the 20-year-old man who stole a school bus in New Orleans, loaded it up with evaccues, drove it to the Houston Astrodome, and arrived well ahead of the buses that Greyhound ordered. When this young man arrived in Houston, he made the statement, "I have never driven a bus before. If I can drive a bus, anyone can drive a bus!"

I posted to a few bus driver forums the story of this young man, and I was flamed for suggesting that non-qualified bus drivers were not used to evacuate residents. A number of politicians have suggested that this should have been done.

If you put the average motorist behind the controls of a railroad locomotive, he/she would have no clue as to how to make the train move forward. Similarly, if the average motorist were put behind the controls of an airplane, he/she could not fly it. But, if you put the average motorist behind the wheel of a school bus, most of them could have operated it, most of them in a safe manner.

 

[AlanB]

After all of the sparks have stopped flying, and all of the investigations into this matter have been completed, I hope many heads will roll.

One already has, FEMA director Brown, resigned today.

But don't let that fool you, as they announced his replacement 4 hours later. :blink: He was forced out, no matter what they say. Probably rightfully so from all reports, but again this was a firing in everything but name.

If you put the average motorist behind the controls of a railroad locomotive, he/she would have no clue as to how to make the train move forward.  Similarly, if the average motorist were put behind the controls of an airplane, he/she could not fly it.  But, if you put the average motorist behind the wheel of a school bus, most of them could have operated it, most of them in a safe manner.

Agreed. I know that I could most likely safely operate a school bus. I've driven small trucks before. It might take a bit getting used to turning city corners, but on the open highway it would be pretty easy.

I do know that I could operate a NYC subway train if I had to, might miss the station by a bit perhaps, till I got used to it. And I suspect that I might well be able to operate a locomotive.

But I wouldn't want to try a plane, unless it was that or die.

 

[Chatter163]

CNN also reported this morning that Amtrak's offer of an evacuation train was turned down by the city.

It seems that those who most quickly started the blame game are themselves somewhat responsible for certain poor decisions.

 

[AlanB]

It seems that those who most quickly started the blame game are themselves somewhat responsible for certain poor decisions.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is plenty of blame to go around. Of that there is no question.

However, the basic rule of disaster preparedness is that the the local's must be able to deal with the first 24 to 48 hours, without Federal help. The local's, both city and state, did make some mistakes, but they did get much right too.

However, by the standard operating procedures, the Fed should have been mobilized and in there by Wednesday. The simple fact remains that they weren't. Late Wednesday into Thursday was when the horrible images of the dome started coming out.

By Thursday we were also hearing about the Convention Center. It took till Saturday to empty those places. :blink:

There were reports that FEMA was turning away airplanes that could have been used to evacuate people on Thursday. There were reports that buses were on the way, yet the news media found pictures of those very buses still sitting miles away from the disaster. There were reports, even a promise by Mr. Bush, that house trailers were headed for Mississippi. Yet almost a day later, those very house trailers were still sitting on the staging lot. Not one had moved!

Supplies and even entire communication centers (something sorely needed in NOL) from other countries were refused and/or turned away.

In any disaster, mistake are alway made and communications are often spotty. But the amount of mistakes and the maganatude of those mistakes were worse at the federal level, than the state or city level. Unfortunately.

 

[dmwnc1959]

Amtrak may have offered an 'early' evacuation train, but does this also take into consideration that Amtrak had decided to cease southerly operations of its 'City of New Orleans', 'Crescent', and 'Sunset Limited' on Saturday, 2 days before the hurricane hit the gulf coast?

 

[haolerider]

No one knows how the conversation went or who it was with, but typically the Levee Board informs Amtrak when they are going to close the flood gates to allow Amtrak to get their equipment out of the city. As I understand it, once those gates are closed they do not re-open until the danger has passed. I also don't know when this occured, but I am sure we will find out as the "investigation" continues.

 

[railserve]

The Amtrak rescue train debate will be discussed on Hannity & Colmes (Fox News) tonight.

 

[Allen Dee]

The Amtrak rescue train debate will be discussed on Hannity & Colmes (Fox News) tonight.

I was going to post the same item, but you beat me to it. I will be watching it momentarily myself on Fox News Channel.

 

[Allen Dee]

I was expecting to see an official from Amtrak and an official from the city of New Orleans pointing fingers at each other. That did not happen, and I was very disappointed. They did show, though, the picture of 215 submerged school buses. More on this topic later.