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1/7/2025
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Southern Rail Commission Chair Knox Ross.
The Federal Railroad Administration will award a $21 million grant that will support the operating cost of Amtrak service returning to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced yesterday.
Awarded through the FRA's Restoration and Enhancement program, the funds will support the long-sought-after return of Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, which has been without passenger-rail service since Hurricane Katrina struck the region in 2005.
“Gulf Coast rail is an investment in the future of our state. This grant will help with operational costs, ultimately reconnecting communities and ensuring that Mississippians have access to reliable transportation," Wicker said in a press release.
The senator has been a strong advocate for restoring passenger rail to the Gulf Coast, and has worked to bring together federal, state and local officials in support of investment in the southern rail corridor.
In response to Wicker's announcement, Southern Rail Commission Chair Knox Ross said the funding represents a "historic moment" in the efforts to restore Gulf Coast passenger rail.
"The grant allocation will supplement costs associated with the operation of two daily roundtrip services for the first three years of service," Ross said in a prepared statement. "As a result, communities spanning Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama will benefit from increased mobility and connectivity."
In October, federal, state and local officials met in Mobile, Alabama, for a ceremony to mark the start of construction on a boarding platform for the service. Amtrak officials haven't yet announced a service start date, but have said they expect service will be up and running this year.
To read more about Amtrak's Gulf Coast service, read this feature in Progressive Railroading's December issue.