August 8, 2024 - TRA Newswire -
The Mobile City Council approved resolutions this week that clears the way for passenger rail service to resume between New Orleans and the Port City for the first time in 20 years.
The final vote was 6-0 and means that plans can now move forward to run two daily Amtrak roundtrips between New Orleans and Mobile next spring.
Knox Ross, Chair of the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) stated, “This is an incredible outcome and we have worked so very hard with our partners to finally get to this point. With the funding in place, this train can roll soon, and it will have a great return on investment and a tremendous impact in connecting people with jobs and education opportunities, boosting our local economies, and supporting our growing tourism industry in our coastal cities.
Ross said "The Southern Rail Commission extends our sincere thanks to everyone who has been instrumental in this project, including Senator Wicker, Governor Ivey, Mayor Stimpson and the Mobile City Council, the Port Authority of Alabama, CSX, Amtrak, and all of our partners who have gotten us to this important milestone.”
The train service is expected to bring Mobile hotels, restaurants and attractions an estimated $8 to $10 million a year, according to Visit Mobile's David Clark. Mobile Councilman Cory Penn said “I think this is an opportunity to allow visitors to come into our great city."
The city will provide $3 million over three years in operating support. The council accepted $1 million from the Alabama Port Authority, which will benefit from a $72 million federal grant in track improvements. Amtrak will pay the city $1 a year for 75 years for a station lease. Amtrak will construct a stub track for overnight train storage and a platform.
Train service to Mobile ended in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast.
Photo credit: Southern Rail Commission