Memphis, TN Trainzers....be safe

A

aardvark1

Senior Citizen Member
With the epic flooding expected in the Memphis, TN area next week, please, all of you be safe and listen to officials when they tell you to evacuate.

Passenger and freight rail service starting to be disrupted.

Other areas along the Mississippi River are also having record flood stage at this time.

The flooding will slowly move South as the days progress.

Please be safe.

In my thoughts and prayers.

Respectfully,

EDIT: From the National Weather Service in Memphis:
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT MEMPHIS
* UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
* AT 8 AM SATURDAY THE STAGE WAS 46.8 FEET AND RISING.
* MAJOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MAJOR FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* MAXIMUM FORECAST STAGE(THE CREST) OF 48.0 FEET EARLY TUESDAY
MAY 10TH.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 34.0 FEET.
* THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE RISING TO NEAR 47.5 FEET BY EARLY SUNDAY
AND IS EXPECTED TO CREST AT 48.0 FEET BY TUESDAY MAY 10TH
THEN BEGIN TO FALL.
* AT 48.0 FEET...RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN MEMPHIS AND TOM LEE PARK ARE
FLOODED.
 
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I hope those in the area take the warnings seriously as well, let's not be tempting fate down there!;)
 
Just been through a storm... Still wet... Why did mum ask me to do the rubbish trip today?! That silly woman...
 
Steamdemon said:
Just been through a storm... Still wet... Why did mum ask me to do the rubbish trip today?! That silly woman...
Click to expand...

So then, you find humor in people in the Memphis area losing their homes, all their possessions and possible injury or worse.

How sad.
 
Nothing new...

:cool: The Mississippi River has a flood plane in that area, the rise in the river will be measured & compared to a flood that happened back in the last century.

A tour via NASA World Wind shows a huge flat surface west of Memphis into Arkansas almost up to Missouri.

So, why would anyone want to build or develop on a 100-year flood plane?

And don't even think about trying to control the Mississippi River!

The Higher side of the backyard...:D
 
Today's notice from CN

This was today's notice from my former employer, CN Railway:

"MEMPHIS, TN
- Flooding in the Memphis, TN, area is not expected to affect CN's operations at Harrison Yard or shut down any of our Memphis operations. Water levels are expected to crest on Wednesday May 11th. We continue to monitor the situation very closely: contingency planning remains in effect, and we are prepared to respond very rapidly to any adverse change. In addition, we are continuing to conduct regular inspections of our most critical locations."

For those of you who don't know, the CN purchased the Illinois Central Railroad "The mainline of Mid-America" in 1999. One of the forerunner lines of the ICRR was the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley RR or "Y&MV". The old Y&MV main from downtown Memphis to Harrison yard & points south, is also used by Amtrak. A photo posted Saturday by the Memphis newspaper "The Commercial Appeal" showed the old Y&MV main underwater just north of Harrison yard at the intersection of Rivergate & Riverport.
Nonconnah creek is a major feeder to the Mississippi river, and runs just north of Harrison yard. In the 1937 flood the river crested at 48.7 feet on the gauge at Memphis and covered the tracks at Harrison yard.
Harrison yard, formerly known as Nonconnah yard (1910 to 1948), then Johnston yard (1948 to 2009) went thru a major rebuild from a flat class yard to a hump yard in the early 2000's, re-named Harrison yard in 2009. During this latest re-build the elevation was raised several feet. The new hump tower is approximately 70M / 229.6 feet above sea level.

The main intermodal facility for CN was relocated in 2001-02 a few miles away from Harrison yard in an area locally known as Ensely bottoms. 35"02'02.93N 90"09'09.70W It is surrounded by levees. It lies approximately 65M / 213.2 FT above sea level. For Google Earth users, take a look at 35"00'49.75N 90"08'03.66W and you will see the CN main as it leaves the intermodal facility and bisects the levee at that point. there is a concrete flood gate that would be closed across the mainline if the water rises that high. Also, you will see a small water pumping station.
The flooded road intersection is located at 35'04'26.47N 90"05'02.38W These Google earth photos are several years old as the new humpyard tower can be seen under construction in the road level photos.

Some local photos can be found here:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/flood/
and on Facebook: "Memphis TN Great Flood of 2011"
 
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Today's update from CN

CN U.S. OPERATIONS CONTINUE WITHOUT MAJOR DELAYS DESPITE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Despite recent poor weather, impact to CN's operations in the U.S. has been very localized to date.
- Flooding has affected local customers in the Cairo, IL, area; however, trains are being detoured over the Bluford subdivision of the CN main line in order to bypass the affected locations. Water levels continue to recede slowly, but it is too soon at the moment to predict when CN's Cairo operations can return to normal.

- Flooding in the Memphis, TN, area is not expected to affect CN's operations at Harrison Yard or shut down any of our Memphis operations. Water levels have reached their crest and are expected to subside gradually over the next several days and weeks, provided precipitation levels remain moderate.

- We continue to monitor the situation in CN's Central division very closely. Our Engineering personnel are conducting regular inspections of all areas affected by high water levels. As water levels subside to the north, they are expected to increase in Louisiana, with a projected crest at Baton Rouge, LA, due on May 22nd. CN staff are closely monitoring rail bridges and tracks in the area.
 
Worst over for Memphis, crest expected in Louisana

CN U.S. OPERATIONS CONTINUE WITHOUT MAJOR DELAYS DESPITE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Despite recent poor weather, impact to CN's operations in the U.S. has been very localized to date.
- Flooding has affected local customers in the Cairo, IL, area; however, trains are being detoured over the Bluford subdivision of the CN main line in order to bypass the affected locations. Water continues to recede slowly, and track repairs are underway. It is too soon to predict when CN's Cairo operations can return to normal.

- Flooding in the Memphis, TN, area is not expected to affect CN's operations at Harrison Yard or shut down any of our Memphis operations. Water levels crested earlier this week and will subside gradually over the next several days and weeks, provided precipitation levels remain moderate.

- We continue to monitor the situation in CN's Central division very closely. Our Engineering personnel are conducting regular inspections of all areas affected by high water levels. As water levels subside to the north, they are expected to increase in Louisiana, with a projected crest at Baton Rouge, LA, due on May 22nd.

- As water levels rise, authorities may elect to install a levee between Baton Rouge, LA, and Geismar, LA. If this occurs, movement along the Baton Rouge subdivision of our main line would be affected. Plans are in place to detour traffic, if required, along our McComb and Hammond main line subdivisions. We continue to monitor rail bridges and tracks in the area, and will advise if the situation changes.
 
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