The Gazebo Gazette
MOBILE (GG) — A 6-0 vote Tuesday, August 6, 2024, by the City Council in Mobile, Alabama, has set the stage for Amtrak passenger trains to roll from New Orleans to Mobile next year. An amendment to the agreement with Amtrak for service was offered that would terminate the lease agreement for the station if Amtrak attempts to increase rail traffic beyond the 2 trains per day proposed between Mobile and New Orleans.
All three items on the agreement passed with unanimous consent from the Mobile City Council. Knox Ross, Chair of the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) stated, “This is an incredible outcome and we have worked so very hard with our partners to finally get to this point. With the funding in place, this train can roll soon, and it will have a great return on investment and a tremendous impact in connecting people with jobs and education opportunities, boosting our local economies, and supporting our growing tourism industry in our coastal cities.
“Restoring Amtrak services to the Mississippi Gulf Coast has been a years-long effort, and one of many to help the region recover from Hurricane Katrina,” stated United States Senator Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi). “This will reconnect the Gulf Coast states and provide an alternative way to move people safely, which could also reduce traffic on our roadways. More travel options will increase tourism and provide economic opportunities to the Mississippi communities along the route.”
The funding had already been approved in Mississippi and Louisiana. Amtrak’s projected start date for the service is spring of 2025. It is uncertain whether it can begin before the Super Bowl is played in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
Platforms are ready in New Orleans and in the Mississippi cities of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula. Ross said a schedule and fares will be posted on the Amtrak.com website about 90 days before service begins.
(Photos from AP & Southern Rail Commission)
