Mobile officially breaks ground on restoration of Amtrak rail to New Orleans

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Mobile Amtrak E1729808996648
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson was at the groundbreaking. (City of Mobile)

City and community leaders gathered Tuesday afternoon for the official groundbreaking of a project that will bring back an Amtrak rail between Mobile and New Orleans.

The project has been rumored for years and steps were taken earlier this year to get the project started. It will be the first time in two decades Amtrak will offer passenger services from Mobile to New Orleans.

Keep reading to find more details from this week’s event + when you can expect for travel to become available to the public.

Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement Project

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg made the trip down to Mobile to celebrate the return of passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast. Others in attendance included:

  • Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose
  • Amtrak President Roger Harris
  • Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross

The additional layover track and passenger platform built during the project will allow Amtrak to resume passenger services.

This milestone would not have been possible without the partnerships with the Port of Mobile and CSX, the support of the Mobile City Council, and the commitment of Amtrak and the Federal Rail Administration. I’d like to give special thanks to Secretary Pete Buttigieg for his support and the many ways that the U.S. Department of Transportation is investing in our community. Today is the perfect example of what we can achieve when we are all working together to improve the quality of life for our citizens.

~ Sandy Stimpson, Mobile mayor

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Caleb Turrentine
Caleb Turrentine
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