More than 15,000 fallen trees have been removed as part of the monumental restoration effort following Helene in Tennessee. (AP/Jeff Roberson)
He railway system in the east of Tennesseea key road artery for the region, is in a critical situation after the passage of the Hurricane Helene. According to reports from Norfolk Southernone of the main railway operators in the area, the damage suffered in his infrastructure It is so extensive that it could take several months to fully repair.
Helenewhich caused historic floods in the region at the end of last month, left behind a bleak outlook for the red ferroviariawhich saw more than six kilometers of tracks destroyed. Furthermore, other areas of system suffered significant damage due to the erosionthe collapse of the embankments y landslides.
According to FOX Weatherseveral bridges were also seriously damaged, which aggravates the magnitude of the construction work. repair that are underway.
Norfolk Southern crews are working around the clock to repair tracks damaged by Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee. (AP)
As soon as the storm passed, crews Norfolk Southern They were immediately deployed to the most affected areas, especially along their line Salisbury-Morristownwhere the destruction was greatest. Ed Boylevice president of Engineering for the company, highlighted that hundreds of workers have been working tirelessly since then to restore the rail service and mitigate the impact of the storm.
“We have witnessed firsthand the critical role played by the railway in the connection of communities“, he pointed out Boyle In a statement cited by FOX News Digital, adding that Norfolk Southern remains committed to supporting the efforts of recovery.
However, despite the speed with which some lines have been reopened, initial projections suggest that the line between Asheville, North Carolinay Newport, Tennesseewill not be operational until at least the end of January next year.
Landslides and embankment collapses complicate rail system repairs in mountainous areas of Asheville. (Tennessee Emergency Management Agency/AP)
The teams of repair They have faced a series of challenges throughout the process, mainly due to the complicated orography of the region, characterized by mountainous terrain and areas of difficult access. In some areas, such as Asheville y Black Mountainthe tracks have been completely destroyed, which has further complicated assessments of the damage.
According to the company, the situation in the sections between Asheville y Old Fortsince many of these places are inaccessible due to the floods.
Throughout the work of repairthe teams Norfolk Southern have removed more than 15,000 fallen trees, repaired multiple landslides and deployed more than 400 generators to operate in more than 1,000 locations without commercial electricity. However, despite these advances, much of the red ferroviaria remains unusable.
Bridges and railway structures were seriously damaged, which has lengthened the recovery process in the most affected areas. (North Carolina Department of Transportation/AP)
Boyle He praised the dedication of his employees, whom he described as “the best in the business,” and stressed that, although considerable progress has been made, the work is far from over. “Our workers on the ground have made a monumental effort to restore our network as quickly and safely as possible, but there is still much more to do,” he said.
Norfolk Southern understand that your infrastructure is vital for communities local, not only for the mobility it offers, but for the supply chain which depends on these railway connections. “Moving the goods on which we all depend is essential,” he recalled. Boylehighlighting the importance of ongoing efforts.
It is expected that in the coming months the repairsand although the challenges are enormous, the company remains determined to reopen all its routes as soon as possible. The process, however, will be long, especially in the most remote areas, where the effects of the storm have been more devastating.
