The Mobile City Council’s decision on whether to subsidize the revival of an Amtrak connection to New Orleans, bringing passenger rail back to the Port City for the first time in 19 years, could have a much bigger financial impact than the $3.1 million city taxpayers are being asked to contribute.

According to the head of the Southern Rail Commission, if the council declines to support the operations of the Gulf Coast line, it could jeopardize a $178.4 million federal grant awarded last fall to Amtrak for improvements along the Gulf Coast.