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 from the Mississippi River. In 1947, the Fort Lauderdale hurricane struck the New Orleans area. There was moderate wind damage. Flood prevention was largely successful in Orleans Parish, but there was severe flooding in the new East Jefferson suburbs near the Lake. Hurricane Flossy in 1956 resulted in flooding in parts of Eastern New Orleans. Hurricane Betsy in 1965 alerted a new generation to the threat posed by major hurricanes. As radar showed the storm heading for the city, a mandatory evacuation of Eastern New Orleans was declared. The Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal channeled storm surge into the metro area.