WASHINGTON – Hoping to soon restore rail service along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans and Mobile after 20 years, the Federal Railroad Administration last week granted $21.1 million for Amtrak, U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans said.
“This funding is not just restoring a rail line, it is reigniting economic opportunity, expanding access to transportation, and reconnecting families and businesses across the region,” Carter said. The money comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of rail infrastructure in 2005 causing the suspension of passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile.
This latest funding is added to previous federal awards, including a $176 million grant in 2023. The grant will cover operating costs of the line during the first three years of service, Carter said.
The plan is to re-establish two daily roundtrip passenger trains with stops along the way in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Mississippi. Travelers can connect with Amtrak’s national network in New Orleans and Mobile.
Mobile broke ground on a new station in October using funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Amtrak will release schedules 90 days before service is to start sometime in the Spring 2025.
