WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration announced today $178 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program funding to restore Amtrak service from New Orleans to Mobile, Ala. The funding will help to build a platform for the Mobile end of the service, as well as additional track upgrades.
“We’ve been fighting to return passenger trains to the Gulf Coast since it was knocked offline by Hurricane Katrina. That 17-year journey has been filled with obstacles and frustration, but also moments of joy, where local champions and national advocates were able to come together around the vision of a more connected Gulf Coast region,” says Jim Mathews, Rail Passengers Association president & CEO.
The Gulf Coast has not been included as a part of the National Interstate Passenger Rail Network since the devastating impacts of Hurricane Katrina, however freight rail operations resumed and has continued in the region since the natural disaster in 2005. Rail Passengers Association will continue to provide updates as the restoration process unfolds. [see “Amtrak, freight railroads say they have a deal on Gulf Coast service,” News Wire, Nov. 22, 2022.]
Share this article
