An Amtrak train moves through Pascagoula's downtown in March 2023 (Photo by Frank Corder | Magnolia Tribune)
- Four Mississippi Coast cities have done their part to return passenger rail to the area. Now, they await the vote from their Alabama neighbor.
It appears that Amtrak’s return to the Coast could finally be rolling into the station, as the City Council in Mobile, Alabama is said to now have the votes to advance its portion of the project.
The City of Mobile has been the lone holdout along the New Orleans to Mobile passenger rail route. Mobile’s platform is the only stop along the route that is not completed.
READ MORE: Amtrak’s return to the Coast awaits decision in Mobile
However, according to members of the Council, the votes are now there to finalize the agreements and approve the funding as early as next week. As such, resolutions were added to their meeting agenda this week for future consideration.
At its upcoming city council meeting on Tuesday, August 6, Mobile officials are set to vote on three agenda items – a funding agreement with National Railroad Passenger Corporation for Gulf Coast rail service, an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Alabama State Port Authority, and a lease agreement for the platform with National Railroad Passenger Corporation for Gulf Coast rail service.
Once the agreements are in place and the funding is approved, work can begin.
Amtrak’s return to the Coast will feature four Mississippi Coast stops in the cities of Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis. All four Mississippi cities, as well as the City of New Orleans, have completed their portion of the necessary work to return the passenger rail service.
Residents along the Coast have been without passenger rail service since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Yet, excitement has been building in recent years among rail enthusiasts as cities have announced agreements to return the service and Amtrak trains have been seen running across the Coast as line testing has already begun.
The Mobile to New Orleans route with the four Mississippi stops is expected to run twice daily, allowing for commuting workers or tourists to take advantage of the transportation option.
A 2024 official start date was anticipated but due to Mobile’s reluctance that is now unlikely. Yet, assuming the Mobile City Council does provide its blessing come Tuesday, a first quarter 2025 start date has been mentioned as a possibility.
Frank Corder
