July 19, 2017 - wtxl.com -

A federal panel submitted a report to Congress this week recommending passenger rail service return to the Gulf Coast. The Big Bend has been without it for more than a decade.

The Gulf Coast Working Group has spent a year and a half looking into restoring service to the region.

The report released Monday recommends daily round-trip service from New Orleans to Orlando, which means Chipley, Tallahassee and Madison would be on that route.

To restore service to the Gulf Coast, the group estimates it will cost $117 million. The report also asks Congress to act quickly in providing an extra $5 million for planning and project development.

Read more: http://www.wtxl.com/news/report-to-congress-recommends-gulf-coast-amtrak-service/article_ccde3b8c-6d90-11e7-9360-636d5d15f60f.html