Amtrak to Restore Service Along This Southern Route for the First Time in Nearly 20 Years

Amtrak will restore service to the Gulf Coast for the first time in almost 20 years as part of a nearly $200 million grant the rail company received from the federal government.

The plan, called the Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement Project, will aim to re-establish twice-daily service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans next year, according to Amtrak. The project will redevelop part of the rail line that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The project, which is run in cooperation with the Southern Rail Commission, will be completed with money from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program with additional funding from several stakeholders, including Amtrak and the states of Mississippi and Louisiana.

READ MORE

Mississippi awarded $230M for reestablishment of passenger, freight rail service

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has designated two awards totaling over $230 million in funding for the restoration of passenger rail service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and reestablishment of the Gloster Southern Railroad.

The first award will provide an estimated $178,435,333 for a passenger train route from Mobile, Ala., to New Orleans, La., which is expected to have four stops in Mississippi.

READ MORE

Amtrak passenger service to the Gulf Coast makes a major push forward

"As a kid, I used to ride the Hummingbird."

There was a time when taking the train in Mobile was an exciting adventure.

Lifetime Mobilian Noel Nelson remembers.

"We would take a bus down in kindergarten and first grade to a park down there in Biloxi, and we'd ride the Hummingbird back to Mobile."

READ MORE

WICKER PRAISES $230.4 MILLION AWARD TO EXPAND RAIL SERVICE IN MISSISSIPPI

Gulf Coast Passenger Rail To Receive $178.4 Million To Restore Route

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today praised the award of $178,435,333 from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to provide crucial funding to restore passenger rail service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A second award of $52,000,000 will help reestablish freight rail service along a 35-mile segment of the Gloster Southern Railroad. The two awards totaling $230,435,333 were made possible by yearly appropriations and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Wicker helped negotiate as the lead Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee.

"I am thrilled to announce this $178.4 million federal grant to restore passenger rail service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This is a significant milestone, representing years of dedicated efforts to reconnect our communities after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Restoring passenger rail service will create jobs, improve quality of life, and offer a convenient travel option for tourists, contributing to our region's economic growth and vitality. I appreciate the work of all who have worked tirelessly to bring this project to this point. I look forward to getting this plan across the finish line in the near future with the support of our state and local officials,” Wicker said.

READ MORE

Amtrak service likely will not return to Mobile until well into 2024, officials say

At one time, Amtrak hoped to begin service along the Gulf Coast by the end of this year. Now, it appears that will not happen until well into 2024.

The Southern Rail Commission, which is sponsoring the Amtrak line, continues to work on funding and securing agreements to build a platform and overlay track in Mobile.

“This has been a long time coming,” Arun Rao, Amtrak’s director of network development, said at a Friday meeting of the Southern Rail Commission in Point Clear.

He added that the train company is “champing at the bit” to start service “as soon as possible.”

Read More

Passenger rail from BR to NOLA tentatively scheduled for mid-2025

A high-speed passenger train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans could be closer than you think. Leaders said the funding is in place and the service is tentatively scheduled for mid-2025.

Adam Knapp with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber said they polled people in both metros and every parish along the way. Most have been unanimously in favor of the passenger rail.

He said one of the biggest challenges is that historically, the rail operators, the companies that own the tracks have not necessarily been willing as partners to have these conversations.

Now multiple organizations are on the same track and Knapp said the project is moving forward.

Read More

Amtrak is coming; stay track-smart

For the first time in 17 years, Amtrak will offer service to the Gulf Coast. In the next few months, passengers will have access to two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile with stops in four Mississippi cities along the way. This is great news for the area — but it also prompts an important reminder regarding track safety, as we add trains that go faster than freight speeds. By following a few common-sense tips, drivers and pedestrians can stay safe while railroads go about the vital business of delivering goods and people to their destinations.

Read More

After ‘unexpected’ $20M windfall, state to fund train from New Orleans to Baton Rouge

Earlier this year, Louisiana reached a deal with the federal government to end a long-winding and contentious battle over misspent grant money that was part of the Road Home program, aimed at helping victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

As part of the deal, Louisiana would only have to pay $32.5 million back to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development—a dramatic decrease from $300 million it could have owed.

Read More

Mississippi cities ready with Amtrak platforms, while key details remain unresolved in Mobile

There is a stark contrast between Alabama and Mississippi when it comes to readiness for the return of passenger rail service for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.

New train platforms have been completed in Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula and Bay St. Louis. Amtrak signs have been erected. Biloxi’s platform is across from a bus facility, while the other three cities have newly restored train stations.

Read More