New Orleans and Dominican Republic. The city is served by Amtrak. The New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal is the central rail depot and is served by the "Crescent", operating between New Orleans and New York City; the "City of New Orleans", operating between New Orleans and Chicago and the "Sunset Limited", operating between New Orleans and Los Angeles. Up until August 2005 (when Hurricane Katrina struck), the "Sunset Limited's" route continued east to Orlando. With the strategic benefits of both the port and its double-track Mississippi River crossings, the city attracted six of the seven Class I railroads in North America: Union
Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans floodgate structures and raising existing levees. The report also suggested that the chances of a major Category 5 hurricane directly striking New Orleans was a one-in-500-year event. In 2001, the "Houston Chronicle" published a story which predicted that a severe hurricane striking New Orleans, "would strand 250,000 people or more, and probably kill one of 10 left behind as the city drowned under of water. Thousands of refugees could end up in Houston." In 2002, "The Times Picayune" published a feature covering various scenarios, including a Category 5 hurricane hitting the city from the south. The series also explored the