September 5, 2023
Vermont Floods Storm Team Response - Another Successful and Safe Deployment
In early to mid-July 2023, Vermont and neighboring states experienced a devastating natural disaster known now by the National Weather Service as the Great Vermont Floods. The most widespread and significant flood damage occurred because of prolonged heavy rainfall of 3 to 9 inches within 48 hours on July 10th-11th on top of already-saturated ground from previous storms
Rivers and streams overflowed their banks, causing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and agricultural lands. The floods resulted in road closures, bridges being washed away, and communication disruptions in various parts of the state.
R. J. Corman teams at work during the project.
As the waters receded, the focus shifted to recovery and rebuilding efforts. As part of these efforts, R. J. Corman was called to respond to this disaster by customers affected throughout the flood zone. On July 12th, R. J. Corman team members from different divisions throughout the country were deployed to the area.
A variety of projects across the state were necessary to get the job done. During the first two weeks, team members worked hard in the town of Chester, VT, to later move their efforts to Barre, VT. They worked diligently on tasks such as sand removal, structural reinforcement, track undercutting to remove sand dragged in by the flood, and other rehabilitation duties.
One of the most impressive effects of the natural disaster was a washout caused by an overflowing creek that eroded most of the roadbed and caused a deep void, leaving rail and ties suspended mid-air. The washout was in mountainous terrain, adding extra complexity to the repairs. R. J. Corman teams had to haul riprap and other elements from a distance and through a very steep landscape.
Washout caused by the storm
The many days of strenuous work and cohesive coordination came to a successful end on August 21st when the customer's railroad was left in excellent shape.
R. J. Corman was pleased to have received a wonderful congratulatory letter from the Vermont Rail System thanking R. J. Corman for the hard work and commitment that was provided.
All,
I wanted to extend a thank you personally and on behalf of our team at Vermont Rail System for the work R. J. Corman performed on our WACR Montpelier and Barre Subdivision. The amount of work that was completed safely and efficiently is incredible. Since day one, all aspects of this project, managed by R. J. Corman, exceeded our expectations. The “can do” attitude you embody is certainly carried by all on your crew and second to none in the rail industry.
Safety was considered in every decision made throughout the course of the work, from supervisors to laborers. There’s no better feeling after a project like this, with so many hazards after a catastrophic storm, seeing everybody go home to their families.
Communication was clear and timely from you and your team every step of the way. No matter what curveballs were thrown at you (and there were plenty), there was always a plan to move forward and what that plan would mean for the rest of the project.
The quality of work and amount of production each day that your team accomplished is unrivaled by any rail contractor. It didn’t matter rain or shine, track time, or breakdowns; your crew always found a way to get the job done. That speaks to the pride each and every one of you takes in your job.
Thanks to you, your crew, and all the folks at R. J. Corman, I’m happy to share our final service bulletin to our customers since the floods last month.
We look forward to working with R. J. Corman on future projects, hopefully planned…
Job well done.
Thanks,
Superintendent MOW
Vermont Rail System
