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Congressional Group Recommends Restoration Of Gulf Coast Amtrak Service
July 19, 2017
The Gulf Coast Working Group released a report to Congress last night that recommended restoring daily round trip Amtrak train service between New Orleans and Orlando.
The working group, which outlined a number of steps that would have to be taken before service is restored, cited the potential for expanded tourism and business travel along with improved access to jobs, education and healthcare among the reasons it recommended restoring the route.
Amtrak service between New Orleans and Orlando was suspended in 2005 due to significant damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.
“This report makes clear the need to restore passenger rail service along the Gulf Coast and provides a path to get us there,” said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), who helped create the working group Congress approved as part of the FAST Act in 2015. “While there’s lots of work ahead, this service will not only help us meet the future transportation needs of the region but could also be a boon for tourism and the local economy. “
Southern Rail Commission Comments On Gulf Coast Working Group’s Report
Yesterday’s delivery to Congress of the Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Working Group’s Final Report by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) provides positive endorsement for the Southern Rail Commission’s long standing recommendation that passenger rail service be restored across America’s Gulf Coast. The Report details anticipated capital costs of less than $112M, plus estimated $5M for project development and planning. The culmination of more than 18 months of dedicated service on the part of the Gulf Coast Working Group (GCWG) appointees, including Amtrak, CSX, FRA, SRC, and over 30 regional stakeholders, the Report is the result of comprehensive, thoughtful analysis and unbiased consideration of participants’ input.
The GCWG was created by Congress to study this service in Section 11304 of Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. This provision stated that FRA is to “convene a working group to evaluate the restoration of intercity rail passenger service in the Gulf Coast region between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Orlando, Florida.” The Southern Rail Commission was appointed by name in the FAST Act to be part of this group.
“We are encouraged that FRA has found that rail service can begin quickly and at a reasonable cost. The SRC is grateful for the unified political and grassroots support the restoration of Gulf Coast passenger rail service has received from Mayors to Governors to the gulf south’s Congressional Delegation,” said Greg White, Chairman of the SRC. “Since 2012, the base of this support has consistently expressed that daily passenger service is essential for the economic resiliency of America’s gulf coast.”
All SRC members are especially pleased to see this Report’s recommendations regarding passenger service for the Gulf Coast, and give full support to the Report’s consideration of safety for all passenger rail users, including Positive Train Control and other recommended safety measures.
The GCWG recommended two preferred service options: daily long-distance train service between Orlando and New Orleans with estimated annual operating need of $5.48M, and a daily regional train between New Orleans and Mobile with an estimated annual operating need of $4M.
The Report outlines a number of capital improvements and operating costs associated with launching these services, and some of this funding could be acquired through new federal rail programs such as the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program for capital expenses and from the Restoration and Enhancement Grant (REG) Program for operating support. The SRC has also received significant interest and initial commitments from private sector partners across the gulf coast interested in contributing to the rail project.
Also noted in the Report, the SRC and FRA are currently providing $1.33M in grant funds to communities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for station area planning and rail safety improvements. These communities have contributed their own cash match, resulting in more than $2.6M in projects underway in preparation for service restoration.
Attached as a part of the FRA report is a letter from the Southern Rail Commission that addresses what we consider unjustifiable cost demands by CSX (www.southernrailcommission.org/news/fra-gcwg-report). The FRA and SRC have diligently worked to address the purported obstacles to restoring service that CSX identified. Recognizing that issues and details remain to be negotiated and resolved, the GCWG Report recommends continued coordination and collaboration among Working Group partners. The SRC remains committed to being a part of these ongoing efforts.
“Congress has identified this route as being of high importance and interest for the public”, said Greg White. “Continued investments in our national passenger rail system are vital as our society becomes increasingly mobile and we look for ways to improve access to skilled workers, jobs, and new opportunities for economic development. The SRC is committed to ensuring the Gulf Coast region of our country is not left out.”
Comments
13 Responses to “Congressional Group Recommends Restoration Of Gulf Coast Amtrak Service”
waste of money
REGARDING:
“Obviously you have never ridden the train!”
I have ridden a few in Europe. They were nice, but they made sense over there where the people are squeezed together and many were using the service.
(Plus you get to meet the most interesting people when trapped with hundreds of strangers.)
AND
“I now live in Alabama and will gladly drive down to ATMORE to catch the train south and maybe even to New Orleans every now and then.”
“Every now and then” is the problem. Everybody has to be paid all the time not just every now and then. I don’t want to take money from others just to finance what I like every now and then.
David for taking pity on others
RE: hum on July 19th, 2017 10:40 am
Lets make Atmore a place people want to spend time in on their way to New Orleans and Orlando. I can see local businesses profit from this. If people know it is available, they will use it.
Ain’t a thing in Atmore to attract. Nothing but grave diggers. Dead city. Wasted money for ding it there. So glad to be out of it finally
A waste of taxpayer money. Didnt work before, still won’t.
I’ve ridden Amtrak several times across the Mid-West. But, the train doesn’t go from depot to depot like you think. You do get off, take a bus to a depot and catch it again. Or get off and wait in the lobby for another train going your direction. Tracks are not everywhere like highways. It is worth it to see areas of nature you never see in an auto. The dining cars make it a better time to spend with family, friends or other passengers. Play cards and board games while you get a bite to eat. You don’t get this in an auto. I’m sure it takes thousands of riders to justify having this train in service daily. The times I have ridden, the cars were only half full. But those states may can afford to keep the service going. Check it out – Chicago to Los Angeles (train is the Southwest Chief) So I flew to visit relatives in Missouri and took the train from there. It’s about a 24 hour ride including bus rides too. I’m for having Amtrak service here. But if the money and time needed to make this a success isn’t there, then it will just be a temporary rail service. To see the beautiful areas on the Southwest Chief – go to http://www.amtrak.com and choose your destination. The train begins in Chicago – Chicago to Los Angeles. You have many selections of seating and lounging to choose from. For a less expensive ride you can choose St. Louis Missouri to Los Angeles or any stop in between Chicago to Los Angeles. Hope you all get to experience this beautiful way of transportation.
There is a nice one day train trip in Cordele, GA. Inexpensive SAM short line, runs from Cordele to Plains with a nice stop over in Americus, GA.
I believe there is a short train ride in Birmingham, AL.also.
Lets make Atmore a place people want to spend time in on their way to New Orleans and Orlando. I can see local businesses profit from this. If people know it is available, they will use it.
@Nana: Are you willing to cough up whatever it takes to nurse this endeavor along when it fails to be self-sustaining? Are you saying we should take on another publically supported flop for the sake of your “childhood memories”? “Train Nut” is right on the money. If you want to wax nostalgic, there are plenty of short-run train rides available at tourist destinations around the country. Take a road trip and enjoy one of these, but don’t add this burden to my already overblown tax bill because you have fond memories of a childhood train ride.
Katrina wasn’t the reason, it was the last straw. This route failed because of declining ridership. No one wanted to be as much as a day late to their destination. No one wants to ride a bus because the train can’t make it on time. If they do reinstate the route there not fixing the problems. Main problem The Amtrak route borrows the tracks from CSX which primarily runs freight. Trains break down, Amtrak can’t easily get around them. This happens more often then you might think. Since the area between Mobile, AL, Pensacola and Tallahassee is single track, Passenger trains have to mix in with freight traffic which often and easily gets backed up. It is cost prohibitive to double track this area. They can’t make the fare cheap enough to deal with the delays. This is why it failed. This is why it will fail again.
In neworleans where the trai station is smack dap in the middle of the hood. Do you want to sit and wait for a train that is natouriuose for being late at 9 o’clock at night or in Biloxi where you are in a little one room building waiting for a train till midnight I did it for over a year . and this is what the taxpayers pay for sounds a lot like the 4 cent a gallon tax for a bus system 10 people use .I am tired of paying for corporations to exspand the business and using a good for the public excause if they want to expand them let them pay for it .
Obviously you have never ridden the train! It is a childhood memory that will out last any car ride we took to Orlando. I grew up in Pensacola and we drove over to Dothan and rode the train to Walt Disney World. I now live in Alabama and will gladly drive down to ATMORE to catch the train south and maybe even to New Orleans every now and then. YES, I have a vehicle of my own matter-a-fact 3 of them and a camper but the joy of riding the train
. plus I would love to take my grandchildren on the train instead of cramped up in the backseat of the vehicle for a 8.5 hour ride to see Mickey Mouse. I have worked and payed taxes for over 43 years now and would love to have some kind of enjoyment out of those dollars, besides just giving them away to those who will not work – hey you can ride the train too!
waste of tax payers money
What is a few million here and there!
The reasons given for passenger rail service do not justify the huge tax payer expense for few riders.
Senator Bill Nelson rairly does anything public, but stuck his head up in support of Obama Health Care by stating that we had to have it.
That’s the one where we needed to pass it to find out what is in it……
A “working group” like this usually gives desired results to the organizers.
Oh and wand to go to Central Flordia to visit the attractions with the family? Enjoy Jacksonville where you get to take your baggage from the east bound train to the south bound train.