ATLANTA — Operation of Amtrak’s Crescent has been suspended between Atlanta and New Orleans because of a bridge issue on Norfolk Southern’s main line near Slidell, La.
The Amtrak Alerts feed on X.com reported on Monday, Oct. 1, that the southbound Crescent that left New York on Sept. 30 was being terminated in Meridian, Miss., “due to a bridge maintenance issue on the Pearl River Bridge.” That was also the reason the Oct. 1 departure from New York terminated in Atlanta today (Wednesday, Oct. 2), with bus transportation provided for customers between Atlanta and New Orleans.
An Amtrak spokesman said the train will again terminate in Atlanta tomorrow (Oct. 3), with bus transportation provided between Atlanta and New Orelans. Meanwhile, northbound No. 20 scheduled to leave New Orleans today will instead originate in Atlanta, with no alternate transportation provided between New Orleans and Atlanta. Tomorrow, train No. 20 will again originate in Atlanta, but there will be bus transportation between New Orleans and Atlanta.
I’m retired and live near there. What issue did NS need to take care of. Pass over the river on I-59 next to the rail bridge. NEVER saw any maintenance/repair equipment on or near the bridge or in the area.
Amtrak could seek arrangement with CSX to re-route the ‘Crescent’ between Atlanta and New Orleans via Montgomery, Mobile, and Biloxi (perhaps permanently). The original ‘Crescent’ took this route before it was truncated to Atlanta and then consolidated with Southern Railway’s ‘Southerner’.
If Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Huntsville (Alabama) can weather more than half a century without passenger train service, I am sure Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Meridian will fare well.
service is cancelling day by day. Oct 4th trains cancelled.