Freight and passenger carriers in the southeastern U.S. have announced disruptions to service in advance of Hurricane Florence, which is predicted to make landfall along the Carolina coast Thursday.
Norfolk Southern (NS) has closed its headquarters in Norfolk, Va., in compliance with an evacuation order issued Tuesday by Gov. Ralph Northam, Trains magazine reported.
The magazine also reported that intermodal shipments destined for NS’s two terminals in Norfolk and to the Virginia Inland Gateway were stopped on Monday in anticipation of the storm. The carrier said on its website that traffic bound for destinations affected by embargoes caused by the storm will be held at yards throughout its system.
Trains magazine also reported that CSX activated its hurricane action plan and said the carrier’s shipments progressing through the Interstate 95 corridor likely will experience storm-related delays.
Rail service to and from Portsmouth, Va., was to be halted by CSX on Tuesday and its terminal there closed Tuesday evening, the magazine reported. The magazine also said that the carrier was going to close its Charleston, S.C., terminal this evening.
Amtrak announced earlier in the week that trains in the Northeast Corridor will not run south of Washington, D.C., until the storm passes, and a number of trains have been canceled or modified this week in anticipation of Florence.

Union Plus logo; Union Plus; Union Plus BenefitsUnion Plus is offering disaster relief grants of $500 to union members who have been affected by Hurricane Irma.
To be eligible to receive a grant you must be a participant in one of these Union Plus programs: Union Plus credit card program, Union Plus life insurance, accidental death insurance, Union Plus auto insurance or the Union Plus mortgage program. Other qualifications may apply.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to view the flyer in Spanish.
 


Union Plus is a nonprofit organization founded by the AFL-CIO in 1986 to provide excellent consumer benefit programs exclusively to union members (current and retired) and their families.

Disaster relief grants of $500 are available from Union Plus to help eligible participants in the Union Plus credit card, insurance or mortgage programs who are facing financial hardship due to the Hurricane Sandy disaster.

The money does not have to be repaid.  Funds are limited to the nearly $370,000 available in the Union Plus Disaster Relief Fund. 

To qualify for a Union Plus disaster relief grant, you must: 

  1. Have been a victim of the severe weather in counties designated by FEMA as qualifying for individual assistance. (List of qualifying counties available at UnionPlus.org/Sandy.)
  2. Have experienced a significant loss of income or property within the last six months due to the disaster.
  3. Have had a Union Plus credit card, Union Plus insurance policy or Union Plus mortgage for at least 12 months with the account or policy in good standing (be up-to-date on payments).
  4. Describe his or her circumstances and document the income or property loss. 

To apply for a disaster relief grant, union members who participate in any of the following programs can call:

  • Union Plus credit card: (877) 761-5028
  • Union Plus insurance: (800) 472-2005
  • Union Plus mortgage: (800) 472-2005 

Credit card holders are also eligible for Union Plus grants that help union members who lose their job, are recently disabled, face high hospital bills or are forced to go on strike. The mortgage program also offers assistance that includes interest-free loans and grants for union members who are unemployed, recently disabled, locked out or on strike. 

Union Plus credit card holders are encouraged to contact Capital One, the new Union Plus credit card issuer, at (877) 761-5028, if you need additional assistance. Capital One has programs in place to help customers who are experiencing difficulties due to the storm. 

Union Plus mortgage holders, including anyone who is in the process of receiving a new Union Plus mortgage, are encouraged to contact Chase, who provides Union Plus Mortgages, at (888) 356-0023 or tweet @ChaseSupport, for additional assistance and information.

For more information about the Union Plus disaster benefits, visit UnionPlus.org/Sandy.