It took 11 days of hearings before the STB (Surface Transportation Board) in 2022 for Amtrak, CSX (U.S. freight railroad operator), and Norfolk Southern (NS) to reach an agreement. Amtrak's long-stalled effort to restart its passenger service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, was finally bearing fruit. In August 2025, Amtrak finally launched its newest route, the Mardi Gras Service.