Amtrak, CSX, NS and Alabama port officials ask STB to cancel hearing on Gulf Coast service

Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), the Alabama State Port Authority and Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks have asked the Surface Transportation Board (STB) not to hold a hearing on Feb. 14 on Amtrak’s proposal to operate service on a Gulf Coast rail line.

Last month, the STB announced it would hold a hearing Feb. 14 on the settlement agreement between Amtrak, CSX, NS and the Port of Mobile that would allow Amtrak trains to operate on a Gulf Coast rail line. The STB also required the parties to provide additional information on their agreement by Feb. 1.

In their Feb. 1 update, the parties provided a status report to the board that outlines progress achieved in "diligently and in good faith" working through the terms and conditions in the agreement. While specific terms and conditions in the agreement remain confidential, the parties described cooperation on one aspect of the agreement: the cooperation in the Southern Rail Commission’s and Amtrak’s application for a $178 million federal grant under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program (CRISI).

The FRA announced in September 2023 that it would award the CRISI grant, which will fund certain mutually agreed upon railroad infrastructure projects associated with the Gulf Coast passenger rail service. Amtrak is now working on the grant agreement and expects to complete that process in the next few months, the STB filing states. The parties are working on reaching agreed upon infrastructure projects as part of the grant agreement.

Meanwhile, a Mobile Station track project must be completed before Gulf Coast service can resume on an interim schedule. That project entails installing 3,000 feet of layover track at and near the site of the former train station in downtown Mobile, next to an existing CSX right of way. Amtrak will fund the track project separately from the CRISI-supported projects.

"Amtrak and CSX have already executed a design and construction agreement for this project and have been working diligently and cooperatively on all design and pre-construction activities over the last few months," the fling states. Amtrak is preparing environmental reports on the project, which the FRA must review.

The track project also depends on Amtrak successfully negotiating a land-use agreement with the city of Mobile to govern the railroad’s construction and use of the platform on city-owned property. Amtrak and the city are negotiating that agreement.

"In sum, the effort to finalize the CRISI grant agreement and to restore the Gulf Coast service is receiving the highest levels of attention from each of the parties and from the FRA," the filing states, adding that FRA Administrator Amit Bose is convening regular meetings with the parties to help move the project along.

The status report filed with the STB represents all the latest information about the project to resume passenger-rail service. Therefore, the proposed Feb. 14 hearing is unnecessary because "the parties have no further information to offer."

The entire filing can be read here.