The Southern Rail Commission said it is applying for nearly $8 million in federal grant money for the project, and Mobile's commitment was needed to move forward. Actual train service is still likely years away, officials said.
Shipbuilding and maritime related news from the Central Gulf Coast region
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Mobile vote moves Amtrak line forward
MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile City Council voted 6-1 on Feb. 3 to approve a grant application for restoring Amtrak passenger train service linking New Orleans and Mobile twice daily with stops in Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay St. Louis, Miss. Mobile would be asked to pay about $3M over three years beginning in 2023. The state could be asked to help. The states of Louisiana and Mississippi have already committed millions. The Alabama State Port Authority opposed the train service, which has been shut down since 2005, after Hurricane Katrina damaged tracks. (Source: The AP 02/04/20)
