Jun. 7—Amtrak passenger train service along the Gulf Coast now is months instead of years away, officials said at Friday's Southern Rail Commission in Mobile.
It's taken 18 years since Hurricane Katrina damaged the rail infrastructure along the Gulf to pull together three states and dozens of agencies to agree on Amtrak service from New Orleans through Mississippi to Mobile.
"We are the closest we've ever been," said John Spain, vice chairman of the SRC.
Commissioners said they still hope the service can happen by the end of the year.
There are a few steps to go through in Mobile before the service can launch, "But we're making progress," said Amit Bose with Federal Railroad Administration.
The issues still to worked out in Mobile are:
— A ground lease for the station platform near the new convention center being built. The Mobile City Council met May 28 to discuss the station infrastructure and Amtrak and CVS are expected to complete necessary improvements with about six months.
— Environmental permits and utility relocation
— Operating support for the service. Mobile is being asked to kick in a $3 million funding package for the first three years of service, and is looking to the state to help pay that bill.
Votes on these issues could come in the next 30 days, the officials said.
It's taken much longer than expected to get all the pieces together to restore service. In June 2023, the commission had hoped to launch the service before the end of that year.
In Mississippi, the state provided $6 million in working capital to get the project going and this year will sell $14 million in bonds to cover the state's share, said lobbyist Harrison Bond.
The trains will stop at Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula in South Mississippi. Work on the stations in these cities is complete or well underway.
The commission also discussed new service from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, stopping at the New Orleans International Airport, and from Meridian to Dallas-Fort Worth.
This story was originally published June 7, 2024, 11:07 AM.
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