AL: Milestone: How many riders has Amtrak’s Mardi Gras train served?

Amtrak reached 100,000 riders on its eight‑month‑old Mardi Gras Service Tuesday, a milestone that arrived far sooner than advocates expected as travelers celebrated with certificates and 100 Grand bars.

“It’s a demonstration that the people of the Gulf Coast wanted this service,” said Todd Stennis, director of government affairs with Amtrak. “I expected it to be a success. I guess the timing of how quickly we were able to do it was really impressive.”

Initial projections estimated around 71,000 riders in the first year, with hopes of reaching 100,000 sometime in the train’s second full year of operation. Instead, demand has surged, fueled in part by what some describe as a “party time” atmosphere that appeals to organizations planning day trips to New Orleans.

“We are on tract to double (initial projections) if not more,” said Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, which had long advocated for the service.

Popularity

Many riders boarding in Mobile were headed for a full day in New Orleans, including a 12‑member Silver Saints group from Christ the King Catholic Church in Daphne. Their plans included a visit to Café du Monde and a walking tour of the French Quarter.

“If it works out good, we’ll do it again,” said Jacque Odom of Daphne.

Amtrak data from Aug. 18 to March 10 show that while more than 45 percent of riders traveled to New Orleans, another 31.8 percent boarded in Mobile. Among the six stops along the route, Mobile ranks third in per capita ridership, behind Bay St. Louis and Biloxi.

“I cannot say how many people I’ve run into who are walking around downtown who have come on (the Mardi Gras Service), who have never seen Mobile before or know what we have to offer,” said Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis. “It’s opening Mobile up a little bit more to the more people.”

Kris and Larry Cannon of Houston were among those exploring Mobile before boarding the train back to New Orleans. They planned to spend the night there before catching the Sunset Limited home.

“I think this is great and it should be extended,” said Larry Cannon, who once worked at Mobile’s shipyards. “We like to ride on the rails and would like to be able to go from Mobile up to the East Coast without having to go back to New Orleans.”

Extending the route east toward Atmore and Pensacola has support in those communities, but the idea remains politically sensitive in Mobile. The Alabama State Port Authority has long opposed moving the passenger service beyond its current stop near Cooper Riverside Park. The Mobile City Council’s financial commitments to the service are tied to keeping the route where it is.

Investment potentials

Infrastructure efforts are focused on developing permanent platforms along the coastal route. In Mobile, plans include a sheltered structure for passengers. Currently, only a large pop-up tent serves as the station.

Cheriogotis described the timeline for a permanent structure as “fluid,” though he hopes progress will be made within the next year. Stennis said the structures are in the “design” phase, with funding discussions to follow.

Future operational support will require continued involvement from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Elections could influence subsidy decisions, but Ross remains optimistic.

“We’ve worked with political question marks for years,” he said. “The proof is in the pudding. The train is bringing people to Mobile that would not come here for any other reason. It gives them the opportunity to come here. It makes downtown Mobile accessible.”

Cheriogotis said that from a tourism standpoint, “it behooves the city to invest” in the service.

The Mobile City Council approved a three-year $3-million commitment in August 2024 despite early pushback over why the city, rather than the state, was taking the lead. Of that amount, the city is expected to contribute around $1 million, with the State of Alabama and the Alabama State Port Authority also allocating $1 million each.

“I know when we were at 70,000 (riders), 52,000 were being delivered here to Mobile,” Cheriogotis said. “That’s 52,000 people milling around and shopping downtown. It’s what we want in our downtown. I think it’s a prudent investment no matter what happens in the political winds of change.”

Beyond tourism, Cheriogotis said the train will complement Mobile’s revamped public transportation system operated by New York-based Via Transit LLC. The new system, called Second Line Transit, is expected to launch this summer, replacing Wave Transit.

“What I love about this route is what it speaks to the demand for alternate needs of transportation,” Cheriogotis said. “It’s nice to take your car. But it’s nice to hop on and take a ride and go without any worries. I hope to see more of that in Mobile.”

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