While we have experienced minor flooding in that section of the Beacon station parking lot in the past, this is the first time we encountered a buildup and volume of water as we did on Jan. 18.

There have been some intermittent improvements over the years, but the station has, over time, experienced deterioration to its concrete passenger platform. We have conducted annual inspections that revealed water infiltration and the effect of salt corrosion.

There would have been minor flooding, two to three feet, in the Lower Ninth Ward. Most of the Chalmette area would have been dry.

The next step (in pursuing a rail link) would be to do an alternatives analysis and a draft environmental impact statement. But we don't have a time frame for going forward, and we don't have the project in our capital budget.

There is a ton of debris all over the place, downed trees all over. This is certainly one of the most widespread in terms of wind damage and debris all over our system.

We don't know if the train hit the tree, or the tree hit the train or they hit each other at the same time.