Amtrak, after a long wait Mobile ve New Orleans is set to restart passenger train service between the two cities within a few months. Chairman of the Southern Railway Commission Knox Ross, announced this exciting development, noting that the process is now in its final stages. “We see a light in the tunnel, and it’s actually a train,” Ross said, expressing his optimism for this important transportation project.
Amtrak Passenger Rail Service Returns Soon to the Port City
Amtrak’s passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans is set to resume within months. This was reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.
Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross announced during Friday’s board meeting that the much-anticipated passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans is only months away. Ross expressed optimism, stating, “We see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s actually a train.”
More people are riding Amtrak than ever before, and improvements are on the way
Amtrak has reached a historic milestone, carrying 32.8 million passengers on the passenger rail system in fiscal year 2024. That’s a 15% increase from the previous fiscal year when it carried nearly 28.6 million riders, according to a news release from Amtrak.
“This record ridership shows that travelers throughout the U.S. want efficient travel options, and we are committed to meeting that demand,” said Stephen Gardner, Amtrak’s CEO, in the release.
Pete Buttigieg shouts out New Orleans, Gulf Coast in 'milestone' passenger train service
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday celebrated securing funding for a project that’s of particular interest to residents of New Orleans and their Southern neighbors.
“The Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement Project will restore passenger train service between Mobile and New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2005,” Buttigieg wrote in an Instagram post that featured several photos from his Oct. 22 visit to Mobile.
The Restoration Of Railway Route Between Two Southern Cities Destroyed After Hurricane Katrina Has Begun
Tuesday was a day to celebrate in Mobile, Alabama, as officials broke ground to begin the long-awaited restoration of the railway route between Mobile and New Orleans. The shovels hitting the mound of dirt marked a new beginning and hopefully a resurgence for the cities on this route: Mobile, Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulf Port, and New Orleans.
The Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement Project will bring back Amtrak’s passenger train travel between these two Southern port cities for the first time since 2005 when the rails on this route were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Secretary Buttigieg Celebrates Amtrak Groundbreaking in Mobile Alabama (Video)
Y'all Aboard! Hundreds of Mobilians came together to welcome U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to our community and celebrate the return of passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast. The additional layover track and passenger platform built during the Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement project will allow Amtrak to resume passenger services from New Orleans to Mobile.
INVESTING IN AMERICA: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Celebrates Groundbreaking to Restore Passenger Rail to the Gulf Coast
Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose and representatives from Amtrak, the Southern Rail Commission, and other local leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement project, which will restore passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast.
Once the layover track and platform are completed, Amtrak will resume passenger service between Mobile and New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2005. The Biden-Harris Administration awarded the project $178 million through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Click here for the full transcript of Secretary Buttigieg’s remarks
Buttigieg credits infrastructure package for making Gulf Coast Amtrak a reality
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged the resiliency of a still-evolving Amtrak project along the Gulf Coast Tuesday, while touting the Biden Administration’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that added millions of dollars in transportation-related funding to Mobile in recent months.
Amtrak holds groundbreaking ceremony for layover track and platform
Tuesday, another big step was taken towards bringing back passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Mobile for the layover track, where a train is stored when not in use, which was one of the remaining hurdles in restoring the route.
As part of a deal with Amtrak agreed upon in August, the city of Mobile will pay $3.084 million to subsidize the rail service for three years.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg coming to Mobile for Amtrak groundbreaking
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Mobile Tuesday to participate in the groundbreaking of construction projects needed before Amtrak service can return to the Gulf Coast for the first time in 19 years.
Buttigieg will join Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose, U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl of Mobile, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and representatives from Amtrak, CSX and the Southern Rail Commission for the ceremony that commences the construction of a layover track and platform to accommodate Amtrak’s return into downtown Mobile.