Several Gulf Coast organizations and mayors from cities across the region have issued statements in support of Amtrak's plan to begin passenger-rail services between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) announced yesterday.

The statements were issued after Amtrak announced last week it would petition the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to permit operations of passenger-rail service in the region, which has been without such service since Hurricane Katrina damaged rail infrastructure there in 2005.

The SRC has been trying fort several years to get Amtrak trains rolling again in the area.