WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration will award a $21.1 million grant for the return of Amtrak Gulf Coast service, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced today (Jan. 6, 2025). The funding will support operating costs for the planned twice-daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala.
Funds will come from the FRA’s Restoration and Enhancement Grant program.
“This is great news for Mississippi,” Wicker said in a press release. “Gulf Coast Rail is an investment in the future of our state. This grant will help with operational costs, ultimately reconnecting communities and ensuring that Mississippians have access to reliable transportation.”
Knox Ross, chair of the Southern Rail Commission, said in a statement that the grant “represents a historic moment in our effort to restore passenger rail service to communities along the Gulf Coast. The grant allocation will supplement costs associated with the operation of two daily round-trip services for the first three years of service. As a result, communities spanning Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will benefit from increased mobility and connectivity. Undoubtedly, this grant allocation is not only a win for passenger rail service, but a win for the communities, economies, and countless residents and visitors across the Gulf Coast and beyond.”
— Updated Jan. 7 at 11:10 a.m. with information on grant program involved, statement from Southern Rail Commission.
Thought once Mobile gave the go ahead the trains were to be up and running in time for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras. Way Mobile is dragging it’s feet Maybe, just Maybe when the Super Bowl comes back to New Orleans in 8 to 10 years it could be up and running.
And here in Mobile the city is still dragging its feet on the station construction.
Amtrak trains and infrastructure (stations, rolling stock, signals, sidings, etc.) have various sources of funding: capital vs. operating; local vs. state vs. federal. I understand all that. What I don’t get, what I can’t comprehend, is why there is a $21M federal operating subsidy on top of the federal operating subsidy.
For cranky conservatives, rightists, MAGAs, libertarians, America Firsters, who say there isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the Dems and the Repubs, read this article (above) for further enlightenment.
“ensuring that Mississippians have access to reliable transportation”
Unless the weather is bad,or equipment fails or….