217 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

WALA-TV, Fox-10 in Mobile, AL, 8/6/24:

 

 

  How the Mobile City Council’s biggest Amtrak critics got to ‘yes’      

 

 

Though it was not a surprise that the City Council on Tuesday approved a proposal to bring Amtrak back to the Port City, the fact that it passed without a dissent was.

 

Read

[KevinKorell]

WLOX-TV, Channel 13 in Mobile, AL, 8/6/24:

 

 

      Amtrak clears major hurdle to bring back Gulf Coast passenger rail service    

 

 

A major development happened Tuesday in the ongoing battle to bring passenger rail service back to the Gulf Coast, and it could happen by Spring 2025.

 

This is another story.

[KevinKorell]

WGNO-TV, Channel 26 in New Orleans, LA,  8/7/24:
 

 

  Coastal Amtrak line to run from New Orleans to Mobile     

 

 

The Gulf Coast Amtrak Line has been out of commission since Hurricane Katrina but following a vote on Tuesday, Aug. 7 by the Mobile City Council, a new service is on its way, with funding set for three years.

 

Here is that story.

[KevinKorell]

Trains, 8/6/24:

 

 

  Mobile, Ala., council votes to approve Amtrak funding, station lease        

 

 

The Mobile, Ala., city council today (Aug. 6) approved a long-sought funding agreement to support Amtrak Gulf Coast service, as well as a lease for use of city land for Amtrak’s stop in Mobile.

 

 

Article

[KevinKorell]

Trains,  8/7/24:

 

 

 

     What’s next for Amtrak Gulf Coast service: Analysis  

 

 

The Super Bowl will be played in New Orleans at Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. Mardi Gras’ Fat Tuesday celebration, perhaps the biggest event in both Mobile and the Crescent City, happens to be late next year: March 4.

 

The race is now on to begin Amtrak Gulf Coast service by then, following the Mobile City Council’s votes Tuesday supporting that service [see “Mobile, Ala., council votes to approve …,” Trains News Wire Aug. 6, 2024].

 

Read the article.

 

Important takeaway from this is that the agreement allowing the 2 daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile stipulates that no further extensions beyond Mobile can happen within 3 years.  So... no Florida long distance train bridging the gap to Jacksonville, and no return of service along the Gulf Breeze route through Montgomery to Birmingham.  And no frequency increase beyond the two trips in each direction.

[KevinKorell]

WEAR-TV, ABC-3 in Pensacola, FL, 8/8/24:

 

 

 

   Mobile City Council amendment blocks Amtrak expansion, could hinder Pensacola's rail hopes   

 

 

 

Amtrak's passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans is expected to begin early next year. But it may be bad news for Northwest Florida.

 

Item

 

Cross posted in threads for Mobile train and future long distance Florida train.

[CNJRoss]

TravelPulse, 8/16/24

 

Amtrak to Revive Scenic Gulf Coast Train Route After Nearly Two Decades

 

After nearly two decades’ suspension, Amtrak is set to revive a vital train route connecting Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, bringing fresh energy to the Gulf Coast's rail transportation network.

 

The national rail operator recently received approval to restart its train service along this route, which will once again allow passengers to travel through many scenic coastal towns of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, providing both practical transportation and picturesque views. 

 

SNIP

 

However, there are still challenges to overcome before the rail service can be fully reinstated. Additional track construction in Mobile is required to accommodate overnight parking for the train so that it doesn’t disrupt freight operations and that will require the relocation of utilities. Amtrak is hopeful that construction can begin by late October, setting the stage for a relaunch out of the route in the first or second quarter of 2025.

 

 

More here.  

[KevinKorell]

Mass Transit magazine, 9/19/24:

 

 

    AL: When will the train arrive? In Mobile, a vexing question surfaces over Amtrak’s Gulf Coast return    

 

It’s been 43 days since the Mobile City Council gave the “All Aboard!” for a long-stalled and debated Amtrak project connecting the Alabama coastal city with New Orleans.

 

Hopes were high for Amtrak’s Gulf Coast return in time for the Super Bowl following the council’s vote to support a $3.064 million expenditure for the train’s operations. By Halloween, the public would know the name of the train.

 

 

Article

 

I thought that they had already settled on the name "Mardi Gras Express".