Federal board ponders future of Gulf Coast passenger trains

Source: Associated Press

Federal board ponders future of Gulf Coast passenger trains

By JAY REEVES
April 4, 2022

A federal board began hearing testimony Monday on whether to let Amtrak resume passenger train service linking New Orleans and Alabama’s main port city over the objections of freight companies.

The hearing, conducted virtually by the Surface Transportation Board, will help determine whether the government railroad can once again offer passenger transportation on a section of the northern Gulf Coast where Amtrak hasn’t operated since Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in 2005.

Freight haulers CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway, in conjunction with the Alabama State Port Authority, contend Amtrak’s plan to run twice-daily, round-trip trips between New Orleans and Mobile would interfere with their traffic and create problems at the Alabama state docks in Mobile. Amtrak should have to make as much as $440 million in improvements before running passenger trains, they argue.

Amtrak asked the board to allow passenger trains to begin operating immediately and decide later on what kinds of infrastructure changes are needed. Freight companies are being unreasonable because they don’t want to make any changes to their schedules or operations, Amtrak attorney Jessie Amunson said.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-amtrak-alabama-new-orleans-mobile-922735b14cacb686da077d9682f49f3d