WASHINGTON — The parties involved in the agreement to allow the launch of Amtrak Gulf Coast service have filed a joint update on that agreement requested by the Surface Transportation Board, asking that the board scrap a hearing planned for Feb. 14 “as the Parties have no further information to offer.”
The STB last month called for “detailed information” on the status of the agreement in a previously scheduled update that was due Feb. 1. It invited the City of Mobile to participate in that hearing because of cocerns about “apparently unresolved negotiations between the City of Mobile and Amtrak” regarding the agreement’s requirement for a layover track at the planned Mobile station site, which involves city-owned land [see “STB seeks answers for delay …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 19, 2024].
Thursday’s six-page joint filing by Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and the Alabama State Port Authority and its short line, Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks, offers little in the way of new information, but seems to reinforce that the negotiations with Mobile are a major source of delay. Amtrak notes it has provided a draft agreement to the city, has held a meeting with Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and his staff, and says that it “understands that final land use terms must be approved by a supermajority vote of the Mobile City Council.” The update also says the port “has agreed to facilitate discussions and provide support for all efforts Amtrak undertakes with local authorities to promptly reach an agreement …,” which could be significant, given the port’s longstanding opposition to the Amtrak operation over concerns it will interfere with port operations.
A story on the news site AL.com suggests that the negotiations in Mobile may be complicated by issues not included in the Gulf Coast agreement, such as Mobile’s request for a cost-sharing agreement regarding the Amtrak service, and notes that at least two of the city’s seven council members have doubts about Amtrak service. It also reports Stimpson was waiting for Amtrak to provide an estimate of operating costs that would be expected from the city.
The filing also says the parties continue to work to finalize the $178 million federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, or CRISI, grant awarded in September 2023 to address infrastructure improvements needed on the New Orleans-Mobile route, saying “Amtrak is giving this grant agreement its highet priority and is optimistic that it can be completed in the next few months. Once a preliminary grant agreement is reached, all parties must agree to the various obligations contained within that agreement before it is finalized. … Amtrak believes that the execution of the CRISI grant agreement is proceeding well and therefore expects that it will move for dismissal of this proceeding in the near future.” If that does not occur before May 1, the parties said they will file a further update.
Please keep everyone’s feet to the fire as this project has been moving at less than a snail’s pace. Only cancel the hearings and dismiss the case once trains are actually running.
Maybe if AMTRAK moved the terminal station to the next city to the east and left Mobile without service it would get more action from the city.
Next city of any size East of Mobile is Pensacola. A shade less than 60 driving miles and takes 50 to 55 minuted to drive. By rail it’s a little over 100 miles (NO STRAIGHT route) like I-10. Got to go up to Flomation,AL then down to Pensacola. Knowing CSX, that would take 2 1/2 to 3 hours to cover.