Amtrak Gulf Coast: Latest News
(newest information at the top)
September 21, 2023
$230.4 MILLION AWARDED TO EXPAND RAIL SERVICE IN MISSISSIPPI
Supported by these Prime Sponsors:
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Earlier this month, it was announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded $178.4 million to restore passenger rail service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Additionally, another $52 million will assist in re-establishing part of what was originally the Gloster Southern Railroad. Funding for this project has taken several years to come to fruition, including the signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021, which Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker held a crucial role in negotiating. Senator Wicker has been a major supporter for restoring rail service along the MS Gulf Coast since day one. For full details, see the press release issued by Senator Wicker's office HERE.
September 13, 2023
Southern Rail Commission and Amtrak Announce Project Progress
The Southern Rail Commission (SRC) welcomed elected officials and stakeholders to Point Clear, Alabama for the commission’s quarterly meeting. The SRC, along with Amtrak, announced key project milestones for passenger rail projects along the Gulf Coast and within the I-20 Corridor.
Amtrak is currently running familiarization trips for the highly anticipated return of passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile. Amtrak Vice President Nicole Bucich provided an overview of the numerous steps that must be completed before new service between New Orleans and Mobile can start.
Amtrak is currently running familiarization trips for the highly anticipated return of passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile. Amtrak Vice President Nicole Bucich provided an overview of the numerous steps that must be completed before new service between New Orleans and Mobile can start.
SRC Chairman Knox Ross stated, “All these plans involve partnership agreements, whether it is with Federal Railroad Administration for grants we and others have applied to receive, state departments of transportation for matching support and guidance, with our statehouses for legislation, the City of Mobile for the terminal location, with host railroads, CSX and NS, and of course, with Amtrak. All of these plans and partnerships are moving forward and must be in place for us to start service next year between Mobile and New Orleans. When all the elements have been finalized between the parties, the schedules, fares, and even the start date and official name of the train service will come via a joint formal announcement from Amtrak and the Southern Rail Commission. Until then, we have work to do.”
Download the complete press release here.
March 15, 2023
Meeting of the Southern Rail Commission in NOLA
Slow but steady is the name of the game with the new Amtrak passenger trains. Updates are trickling in, but we know one thing for sure — the trains are going to bring a lot of change to Hancock County.
- by Nikki Moon
- by Nikki Moon
The recent meeting of the Southern Rail Commission addressed the future of passenger rail service – not only on the coast, but also along the I-20 corridor. The route from New Orleans has been in the works for several years and now that test runs are well underway, the SRC has set its sights on additional routes. The hope is to eventually connect Dallas to Atlanta via passenger trains, and plans are in the making.
SRC Chairman, Knox Ross said, “Now that we have a way forward for new state-sponsored corridor service between New Orleans and Mobile, the I-20 route has been identified by the SRC as its next priority.”
The SRC brings together federal, state, and local government officials and individuals within the private sector to discuss potential rail service. The Commission identifies potential routes and conceptualizes the feasibility of these projects by weighing the benefits against the challenges. Current proposed routes include: Baton Rouge to New Orleans, Dallas to Meridian, and Shreveport to New Orleans.
One of the big topics at this meeting was safety. The SRC met with the police chiefs and emergency management teams across the coast to address safety protocols and procedures. There is a lot of concern around people trying to beat the trains and going around the track barriers and people walking along the tracks. These trains will run at 79 MPH!
While we still don’t have a start date for the New Orleans to Mobile run, nor the exact times of the twice a day-seven day a week service, we know its coming and that is the best news ever.
Think of what it will do for us along the coast. Passenger train service will make our cities more livable, especially with the updates in our depot and the surrounding area in downtown Bay St. Louis. Trains will increase our visitor traffic, driving new economic development and bringing in more tax dollars. It attracts business travelers working in our industries along the coast, not only for the convenience, but also for the novelty. It will definitely bring some of the 700,000 annual international visitors to New Orleans over to the Bay – they are used to traveling by train and love it!
In a few words – it is a game changer.
More to follow after the June 9th meeting of the Commission.
See the attached press release for full details below.
| 03_10_23_quarterly_meeting_release_final.pdf |
February 22, 2023
Just Because
Nothing new to report, but Ken Murphy's drone was once again in the air, capturing some breathtaking photos of trains in and around BSL. These are CSX trains this time.
February 11, 2023
Safety First
The Southern Rail Commission released some safety information related to public interaction with train systems.
February 9, 2023
Amtrak Familiarization Trips Continue
Additional drone photography of Amtrak's training runs as they pass through Gulfport. Photos courtesy Ken Murphy.
February 6, 2023
First Amtrak Qualifying Run Stops in BSL
Amtrak train crews passed through Bay Saint Louis during required familiarization trips this week, learning the physical characteristics of the future route by operating Amtrak locomotives and railcars between Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans. This process will continue, in conjunction with the freight railroads that will host the service, to qualify engineers and conductors to begin Amtrak passenger train service on a 2023 date to be announced.
Photo by Ken Murphy, Murph's Drone
Photo by Ken Murphy, Murph's Drone
Photo by Gregg Martel
February 3, 2023
Train Crews Begin Gulf Coast Training
Next week, Amtrak train crews will begin required familiarization trips, learning the physical characteristics of the future route by operating Amtrak trains between Mobile and New Orleans. This will continue for several months to qualify engineers and conductors to begin Amtrak passenger service.
Also next week, Amtrak will begin a public education campaign with Operation Lifesaver, the industry-sponsored safety program. Since it has been more than 17 years since Amtrak trains have been on this route, the public needs to continue to be safe along and in the vicinity of the privately-owned tracks and train platforms.
Also next week, Amtrak will begin a public education campaign with Operation Lifesaver, the industry-sponsored safety program. Since it has been more than 17 years since Amtrak trains have been on this route, the public needs to continue to be safe along and in the vicinity of the privately-owned tracks and train platforms.
January 31, 2023
Working Night and Day
Shoofly photographer Gregg Martel caught this dramatic clip of crews laying new rails at Toulme Street, behind the old City Hall.
January 26, 2023
Additional Passenger Rail Routes Announced
In a press release today, the Southern Rail Commission announce additional passenger rail service lines, extending the region's networks dramatically. Eventually riders can go from Mobile or New Orleans to Atlanta or Dallas. Read the entire release below:
December 1, 2022
Amtrak to Resume Coast Service Soon
Long-awaited passenger rail service will soon return between New Orleans and Mobile – in part, thanks to Bay St. Louis’s enthusiastic support.
- by Lisa Monti
- by Lisa Monti
This 2016 file photo from the Shoofly Magazine archives shows how the community came out in force to support the return of passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast.
Passenger rail service is on the verge of returning to the Gulf Coast after a stalemate ended last week with a settlement announced by Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern and the Alabama State Port Authority.
“We have an agreement, and I think everybody is going to be happy with it,” Knox Ross, chair of the Southern Rail Commission (SRC), told the Shoofly Magazine. The SRC is a five-state coalition whose members, according to their website, work to "support and influence Southeast rail initiatives."
Bay resident Kay Kell, a longtime member of the Southern Rail Commission, said, “We’re very optimistic. This is a giant step forward.”
Click here to read more!
“We have an agreement, and I think everybody is going to be happy with it,” Knox Ross, chair of the Southern Rail Commission (SRC), told the Shoofly Magazine. The SRC is a five-state coalition whose members, according to their website, work to "support and influence Southeast rail initiatives."
Bay resident Kay Kell, a longtime member of the Southern Rail Commission, said, “We’re very optimistic. This is a giant step forward.”
Click here to read more!
August 4, 2022
Depot Groundbreaking and Amtrak Meeting Signal Progress in Passenger Rail Service
Officials participate in the presentation about the new rail service between New Orleans and Mobile (l-r): BSL Mayor Mike Favre; Nikki Moon; Todd Stennis with Amtrak; Kay Kell with the Southern Rail Commission; Marc Magliari with Amtrak; Knox Ross with the Southern Rail Commission; John Bender with Amtrak; US DOT Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg; Chris Vignes representing Senator Roger Wicker.
Mayor Mike Favre welcomed federal and state officials for the groundbreaking of the new platform at the Bay St. Louis train station this week, the first of five stations on the Gulf Coast to be upgraded. Following the ceremony, officials held a meeting at the community center to share progress and plans for Amtrak passenger service from New Orleans to Mobile, including BSL. Amtrak, still in arbitration with the freight companies who also use the railway, hopes to begin passenger service in January 2023.
Click here to see our photo gallery by Gregg Martel
Click here to see our photo gallery by Gregg Martel
February 11, 2021
Buttigieg Accepts Invitation for Gulf Coast Train Tour
The new Secretary of Transportation could be a crucial ally in the decades-long effort to restore passenger train service between New Orleans and Mobile.
Bay St. Louis pulled out all the stops in 2016 when Administrator Sarah Feinberg's railway inspection tour came to town. Photo by Ellis Anderson
As the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, “Mayor Pete” Buttigieg appreciated the value of passenger rail service to the workforce of his city, and he fought for Federal dollars to build new tracks on lines that serve his city’s commuters. He calls himself ‘the second biggest passenger rail enthusiast’ in the administration, right behind President “Amtrak Joe” Biden, who commuted by train to the U.S. Senate daily from his home in Delaware.
Now, as Secretary of Transportation for the new administration, Buttigieg is taking an interest in restoring passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, which will serve Bay St. Louis and other cities along the Gulf Coast. Passenger train service, which used to serve travelers from New Orleans east to Jacksonville, has not run since Hurricane Katrina.
Click here to read the full story by Dena Temple
June 6, 2019
$33 Million Closer to Coast Passenger Rail Service
MS Southern Rail Commissioner and BSL resident, Kay Kell, Southern Rail Commissioner Knox Ross and Hancock Chamber of Commerce President, Nikki Moon after a meeting with public officials in BSL, March 2019. photo by Ellis Anderson
MS Southern Rail Commissioner Knox Ross on why the funding was needed and how passenger rail service on the coast is critical to future economic development.
Click here to read our full story.
