Rail Passengers Statement on Mobile Agreement

For Immediate Release (24-6)
Contact: M. Ned Butler ([email protected])

Rail Passengers Association Statement on Mobile Agreement to Restore Passenger Trains to Gulf Coast

Washington, D.C.—Rail Passengers Association President Jim Mathews issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement of an agreement between Amtrak, the City of Mobile, and the Port of Mobile to bring back passenger train service to the Gulf Coast:

“Our coalition has been working for almost two decades to bring back passenger trains to the Gulf Coast, and so we are thrilled at today’s announcement, which clears the way for the reintroduction of Amtrak service between New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama.

“This process has taken a long time—too long, to be frank. But that makes us all the more grateful to Amtrak, the Port of Mobile, and the City of Mobile—particularly Mayor Sandy Stimpson—for returning to the negotiating table, as many times as it took, to get this project across the finish line. Rail Passengers Association applauds the work done by the Mobile City Council, and urges the Council to approve this agreement with all due haste.”

The agreement, which is scheduled for final approval during the first week of August, centers on a three-year funding plan and a land-use agreement between Amtrak, the City of Mobile, and the Port of Mobile. While the full details haven’t been announced, the Port of Mobile and the City of Mobile will contribute some funding to help cover Alabama’s share of the operations budget for the first three years of service. Amtrak hasn’t announced a hard timeline for introduction of the twice-daily service, which will depend on how quickly work is completed on a few key projects to upgrade existing tracks.

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About the Rail Passengers Association

The Rail Passengers Association is the oldest and largest national organization serving as a voice for the more than 40 million rail passengers in the U.S. Our mission is to improve and expand conventional intercity and regional passenger train services, support higher speed rail initiatives, increase connectivity among all forms of transportation, and ensure safety for our country's trains and passengers. All of this makes communities safer, more accessible, and more productive, improving the lives of everyone who lives, works, and plays in towns all across America.