MS: Amtrak is returning to MS Coast and Sen. Wicker says this time it's going to be a winner

Amtrak passenger trains are still six months or so away, yet excitement is building for their return and the business the excursions could bring to South Mississippi.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker stopped Tuesday at Pop Brothers store in Gulfport to speak about the economic impact of the train service.

"We expect the service to begin early next year," Wicker said. Getting the trains running in time for the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, though, "would be a stretch," Wicker said.

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City of Gulfport already seeing economic growth after Amtrak return announced

Senator Roger Wicker, Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes, and local small business owners met today to share their excitement for the return of passenger rail service to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

More people are going to be discovering The Secret Coast now that Amtrak will be back on these tracks – and The City of Gulfport is already seeing a positive economic impact from it.

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After 20 Years, Rail Service Returning to the Gulf Coast

Passenger trains could soon be running again on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Alabama, nearly two decades after service was knocked out by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The City Council in Mobile voted Tuesday to approve more than $3 million in funding for the service for the next three years, matching identical commitments from Mississippi and Louisiana. (The city was on the hook due to Alabama laws that prevent the state from contributing.) Amtrak is expected to run two trains each day between Mobile and New Orleans, with stops in the coastal Mississippi towns of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Pascagoula and Biloxi, starting next year.

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All aboard…Gulf Coast Amtrak train service approved

The Mobile City Council approved funding for the Gulf Coast Amtrak Train Service running from New Orleans to Mobile with a 6-0 vote. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says with platforms ready in New Orleans and the Mississippi cities the next steps are getting the platform and station track completed in Mobile…

“..and that will give us a much better idea of exactly honing in on a start date.”

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Vote sets stage for new Amtrak Gulf Coast service. But can trains roll by Super Bowl?

A 6-0 vote Tuesday by the City Council in Mobile, Alabama, has set the stage for Amtrak passenger trains to roll from New Orleans to Mobile next year.

The Sun Herald reports that the Mobile council voted to fund the passenger train service for three years. 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.

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Amtrak clears major hurdle to bring back Gulf Coast passenger rail service

A major development happened Tuesday in the ongoing battle to bring passenger rail service back to the Gulf Coast, and it could happen by Spring 2025.

In Mobile, Ala., city council members voted unanimously to approve a deal with Amtrak.

In that deal, the city of Mobile will pay $3.084 million to subsidize the rail service for three years.

“Everybody made that same deal,” Knox Ross, Chairman of the Southern Rail Commission explained. “Louisiana, Mississippi, they committed the same exact amount of money for that three year period. What that does is it gives us a chance to prove the concept.”

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Amtrak expected to return to Gulf Coast in 2025 for first time since Hurricane Katrina

All that stands in the way of a restored Amtrak route from New Orleans to Mobile -- with stops in cities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast -- is an expected vote of approval by the Mobile City Council next week.

For years, rail advocates have fought for the return of the Amtrak route, which had been disrupted by damage to rail infrastructure from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Now, it looks like success is imminent, with Amtrak planning for rail service beginning in the first quarter of 2025.

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Amtrak from N.O. to Mobile could be reality

Passenger rail service could return to the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, early next year, thanks to a new agreement between Mobile and Amtrak.

Mobile city leaders said last week they have finalized language for a funding agreement and ground lease that will pave the way for construction of a new train stop - the final hurdle needed before the service can begin. A majority of the Mobile City Council, which had opposed the deal earlier this spring because of concern over its cost, is expected to approve the agreement next week.

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Amtrak service from N.O. to Mobile could be a reality by Super Bowl

Passenger rail service could return to the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Mobile early next year, thanks to a new agreement between the city of Mobile and Amtrak.

Mobile city leaders said last week they have finalized language for a funding agreement and ground lease that will pave the way for construction of a new train stop — the final hurdle needed before the service can begin. A majority of the Mobile City Council, which had opposed the deal earlier this spring because of concerns over its cost, is expected to approve the agreement next week.  

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