Key Takeaway: Freight railroads keep their networks resilient against climate hazards such as intensifying rainfalls, hurricanes and tropical storms. They plan for extreme water year-round, continually monitor conditions, perform preventative track maintenance, invest in detection high water technology and follow contingency plans to protect employees and freight.
Freight railroads operate 24/7 over more than 140,000 miles of track stretching from the great plains to low-lying coastlines, which makes their infrastructure and equipment vulnerable to extreme weather and natural disasters such as flooding.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), high waters from hurricanes, tropical storms, flash floods and persistent heavy rains are some of the most prominent weather-related concerns railroads face. Water can weaken rail bridges, wash away the ballast that stabilizes tracks and damage sophisticated railroad signaling systems and electronic trackside equipment — all of which threaten rail service. Although flash floods can happen within a matter of minutes, railroads proactively monitor and prepare their networks for potential water-related risks every day.
Railroads use inspections to prioritize cleanup and repairs, which involve clearing debris, repairing or laying new tracks, rebuilding bridges, engines, or railcars. Technologies like drones ensure safety during flooded rail yard or bridge inspections, while ground-penetrating radar assesses track conditions affected by water erosion. Because freight railroads are privately owned, they can allocate resources to critical maintenance projects and restore service in sometimes just a few hours, much faster than publicly-funded infrastructure recovery projects.
After Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana in 2005, it only took Norfolk Southern an astounding 16 days to complete repairs to its Lake Pontchartrain Bridge. Using nine cranes on barges, the railroad lifted nearly five miles of track out of the water and put it safely back onto the bridge so service could continue.
It is not just their own infrastructure that railroads rebuild; they care deeply for the communities their trains travel through and will often bolster local relief efforts by delivering food and water, removing debris, transporting evacuees or donating to relief efforts.
