All aboard? Okaloosa Commission wants return of passenger rail for Florida Panhandle

On Oct. 1, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners took the first step toward possibly returning railroad service to the county.

The commission approved a letter of request to be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis and the president-speaker of the Florida Senate and House urging elected leaders to join the Southern Rail Commission (SRC), which will allow all parties to explore the restoration of passenger rail service in the Florida Panhandle.

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When will the train arrive? In Mobile, a vexing question surfaces over Amtrak’s Gulf Coast return

It’s been 43 days since the Mobile City Council gave the “All Aboard!” for a long-stalled and debated Amtrak project connecting the Alabama coastal city with New Orleans.

Hopes were high for Amtrak’s Gulf Coast return in time for the Super Bowl following the council’s vote to support a $3.064 million expenditure for the train’s operations. By Halloween, the public would know the name of the train.

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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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