Rail service expansion announced in state
Amtrak is about to make traveling by rail possible between Vicksburg and Meridian along the I-20 corridor, and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast I-10 corridor linking Mobile, AL., to New Orleans.
The Coastal Route
Beginning this summer, Amtrak’s new rail service will operate twice daily, morning and evening, with key stops in Mississippi in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula.
Platforms are ready along the coastal towns for the three-hour journey; construction on a train platform in Mobile, AL, should be ready by late June. The new site is close to the Mobile, Alabama Convention Center and Cooper Riverside Park.
In January, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the principal driver of the I-10 rail project and a long-time supporter of intercity passenger rail service, announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) had awarded a $21 million Restoration and Enhancement (R&E) Grant to restart rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala.
“This is great news for Mississippi,” said Wicker. “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 the substantial award “represents an historic moment in our effort to restore passenger rail service to communities along the Gulf Coast. As a result, communities spanning Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will benefit from increased mobility and connectivity.”
Rail officials had hoped to start service along the I-10 route before the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 9. A fresh start date has not been disclosed, though Ross anticipates it will be mid-July, barring delays. Ninety days before service begins, Amtrak will post a schedule and fares on its website (Amtrak.com). When open, Amtrak’s dining car will feature a hybrid of traditionally served on-board meals with locally sourced foods, such as pralines.
Originally launched in 1984, Amtrak’s route rebirth comes after an almost 20-year hiatus due to damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed miles of track, several bridges, and the Mobile station in 2005.
Several key occurrences impacted the proposed I-10 route. In 2022, Amtrak and two freight companies reached an agreement allowing a route across I-10 with four stops along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Also, stakeholders on the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant reached an agreement to provide necessary funding to restore the passenger rail service. The FRA had previously awarded a total of $178.4 million.
Elected leaders in Alabama temporarily thwarted plans to bring the train route back to the region, but the Mobile City Council ultimately and unanimously voted to fund passenger services for three years.
“I appreciate the partnership shared by local and state government officials and the freight rail companies, CSX, and Norfolk Southern,” said Wicker. “This service will provide economic opportunities to the Gulf Coast region and an alternative way to move people safely. Years of hard work and cooperation have brought us to this important moment.”
Ross said the line should create 80 jobs and generate $70 million annually.
The I-20 Corridor
By 2030, Jackson may be established as the passenger rail crossroads of the south, one of three cities nationwide where passengers can travel long-distance by train in all four directions.
But much work needs to be done first. A $14 million grant application was not approved to create a new passenger line along the I-20 corridor with stops in Jackson and Vicksburg, to Louisiana and Texas, ending in Dallas. But a Corridor ID Program grant of $500,000 was enough to get the ball rolling on corridor development, including the development of a scope, schedule, and cost estimate.
“The proposed route has been studied a lot over the last 40 years,” said Ross. “Amtrak is now willing to work with us and that takes out some roadblocks. Of course, there are so many unknowns, for example, what President Trump does. The states will need to put money into matches. We need to see the success of the I-10 coastal train. There are still questions to be answered, but so far, we’ve made good progress. Later this year, we’ll start applying for the next phase.”
The expanded I-20 service would connect Amtrak’s Texas Eagle train, which travels between Chicago and San Antonio through cities from Austin to Dallas, and the Heartland Flyer, which connects Oklahoma City to Fort Worth.
The process to begin studying the proposed route in earnest began April 14, 2023, after Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian Pacific (CP) merged with Kansas City Southern (KCS) to create CPKC.
“CPKC has been very involved in moving the project forward,” said Ross.
Nicole Bucich, Vice President of Amtrak’s Network Development, said the expansion would provide a shot in the arm of the south’s economy.
“The extension that’s being proposed will provide a direct, one-seat ride between these communities and the economic epicenters of the south—Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta,” said Bucich. “It’ll also provide crucial connections for universities, medical centers, and military installations in the region. These are groups in need of transportation alternatives to I-20.”
Ross emphasized a true bipartisan effort has made progress possible.
“Sen. Bill Cassidy (MD, R-LA) has championed this route as Sen. Roger Wicker has championed the coast train,” noted Ross. “Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) has been very helpful turning over staff time to help us. The efforts have also been led by mayors of Vicksburg, Ruston, LA., Monroe, LA, and Shreveport-Bossier, LA. and (Mississippi Department of Transportation Commissioner) Willie Simmons has taken up the mantle of (former MDOT Commissioner) Dick Hall, even more, if possible. With so much bipartisan support, the process has been very enjoyable.”
Ross anticipates the I-20 expansion will create 77 permanent jobs and generate $73 million annually.