Alabama’s biggest advocate for expanding the state’s only deep water seaport is joining freight train operators in urging Amtrak to resume an analysis of the passenger rail’s potential impact on the Port of Mobile.
Republican U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, in a letter Tuesday, said he believes it is “essential” for the analysis to be completed to determine the impact Amtrak would have on existing fright rail service and port activity.
In a perfect world, we’d have fond memories of a bottle of champagne being ceremoniously smashed across the pilot of an Amtrak P42 heading the maiden trip of long-sought passenger service between Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans. And we’d be able to take the train to the beach at Biloxi or the aquarium at Gulfport, Miss.
Several Gulf Coast organizations and mayors from cities across the region have issued statements in support of Amtrak's plan to begin passenger-rail services between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) announced yesterday.
The statements were issued after Amtrak announced last week it would petition the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to permit operations of passenger-rail service in the region, which has been without such service since Hurricane Katrina damaged rail infrastructure there in 2005.
The SRC has been trying fort several years to get Amtrak trains rolling again in the area.
A study by the University of Southern Mississippi says the expected return of passenger rail service to the Mississippi coast in 2022 could have an economic impact on the state of nearly half a billion dollars.
Amtrak says it remains on schedule to restore passenger service from New Orleans to Mobile in 2022, perhaps as early as the first quarter. The Mississippi coast is scheduled to have four stops on the route -- Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis.
A study released by the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) estimates the benefits of restoring Gulf Coast passenger rail services could generate a total economic output of up to $485,924,479 in Mississippi.
With proposed Amtrak service from New Orleans to Mobile on track to begin in 2022 with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Coastal Mississippi is estimated to see an annual tourism spending increase of up to $37,520,300 in Hancock County, $370,551,660 in Harrison County and $33,415,460 in Jackson County. Aspirational scenarios of 1 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent, and 20 percent increases in tourism spending were assessed to give decision-makers perspective on how strong the impact on our industry could be.
Additionally, the study estimates the restored Gulf Coast passenger rail service could annually provide over 7,000 new tourism jobs to our three coastal counties.
Amtrak is asking the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to expedite a decision on its request to operate trains between New Orleans and Mobile starting in 2022. The formal request is designed to restore passenger rail service along a route that was suspended in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina and after more than five years “of data-driven and federally led studies.”
STB could require Class 1 freight railroads CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway to permit twice daily roundtrip trains unless the freight railroads can prove why passenger trains cannot be hosted successfully.
Amtrak says it has asked a federal agency to require that two freight railroads provide access to their rails for the resumption of passenger train service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama.
The passenger rail corporation, partially owned by the government, announced plans in February to provide the service for the first time since Hurricane Katrina badly damaged tracks and other railroad infrastructure in 2005. Freight trains resumed running in the area after repairs, but Amtrak service didn’t.
Amtrak is taking its effort to start service along the Gulf Coast to the Surface Transportation Board.
The passenger railroad is asking the regulatory body to require CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern to permit operation of two daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. In its filing, Amtrak is asking for expedited action by the board to allow service to begin on or about Jan. 1, 2022; under STB procedures the railroads must provide access or show why they are unable to do so.
The move comes after Amtrak announced last month that it intended to launch the service in 2022, although a traffic study of the route has not been completed [see “Amtrak seeks to start Mobile service in 2022,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 26, 2021]. In a press release, Amtrak cites “more than five years of data-driven and federally led studies” preceding the filing.
As part of its COVID-19 recovery efforts, Amtrak announces full restoration of daily service for 12 long distance routes following pandemic-related schedule reductions in 2020. Providing customers significantly more departures for the upcoming summer travel season, the new schedule has been updated on all Amtrak reservation systems, including Amtrak.com and the Amtrak app.
Due to COVID relief funding, Amtrak will sustain and restore operations and recall the more than 1,200 furloughed employees through the remainder of FY21 and into FY22. The funding is pending President Biden’s signature on the final bill.
“Offering daily long distance service represents a vital step in our road to recovery,” said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn. “Recognizing the immense value of our employees, we’d like to thank Congress for enabling service restoration and helping us recall furloughed employees.”
Four cities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are getting new train platforms or repairs to the existing stations ahead of the return of passenger rail service in January.
"Amtrak recently dispatched a full team to assess the remaining work underway on stations along the Mobile to New Orleans route to ensure they are ready for passenger rail service to start in 2022," David Handera, Amtrak vice president of stations and accessibility, said Friday during a meeting of the Southern Rail Commission.