‘Mardi Gras‘ Follows ‘Second Battle of Mobile’
Easter is over, but Mardi Gras is coming to New Orleans, Mobile, and four towns between them on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This “Mardi Gras” will be an Amtrak train, and it
Southern Rail Commission
Filed: Latest Progress Report on Amtrak Gulf Coast Service (UPDATED 6/20)
What’s the status of the proposed Amtrak service between New Orleans, La., and Mobile, Ala.? Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS), and Alabama State Port Authority and its common carrier operating division, Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks, on June
FRA Awards Inaugural IRC Grants
Three entities will share $900,000 in Interstate Rail Compacts (IRC) Grant Program funding from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to help improve and expand passenger rail networks in the Midwest, South and Southeast.
What’s the Status of Amtrak Gulf Coast Service? (UPDATED 2/9, with Commentary)
Work is still under way on settlement terms and conditions for launching Amtrak’s Gulf Coast service between New Orleans and Mobile, “America’s Railroad,” CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS), and Alabama State Port Authority
Transit Briefs: Amtrak, NJ Transit, OC Transpo, TransLink
Amtrak and Southern Rail Commission (SRC) officials share updates on three passenger rail projects spanning Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) continues its school safety education programs; Ottawa’s OC Transpo launches a credit card fare payment system for all buses and O-Train Line 1 stations; and metro Vancouver’s TransLink is conducting a survey to measure regional travel patterns.
Report: Mobile Train Stop ‘Final Infrastructure Issue’ Before Amtrak Gulf Coast Service Can Restart
The construction of a train stop, and a track leading to it in downtown Mobile, Ala., officials say, is the “final infrastructure issue that needs to be addressed before Amtrak can restart passenger trains along the Gulf Coast for the first time in 18 years, according to an AL.com report.
Transit Briefs: ACE, Amtrak, BART, Brightline West
ACE’s (Altamont Corridor Express) timeline is being pushed back for its commuter rail service expansion into Stanislaus and Sacramento counties in California. Also, Amtrak and the Southern Rail Commission are seeking a federal study for new long-distance service across Mississippi and Louisiana to Texas; San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) proposes fare increases in 2024 and 2025; and Brightline West teams with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) and the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union on its planned 218-mile high-speed rail system connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.
Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MTA Metro-North, Tri-Rail
Amtrak advances crew training for Mobile-to-New Orleans intercity passenger rail service. Also, Connecticut lawmakers eye electrification of MTA Metro-North Railroad’s Danbury Branch; and south Florida’s Tri-Rail commuter railroad saw January ridership grow 30% over the same month last year.
FRA Seeks Feedback on Interstate Rail Compacts Grant Program
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Request of Information (RFI) on the new Interstate Rail Compacts Grant Program that it will administer; comments are due Sept. 19, 2022.
Will New Orleans-Baton Rouge Passenger Rail Service Return?
Canadian Pacific is committed to establishing New Orleans-Baton Rouge passenger service if the railroad’s proposed merger with Kansas City Southern is approved, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Technology Transformation James Clements told Louisiana officials on Dec. 8.