Amtrak To Return To Mobile

Amtrak’s passenger rail service is set to make its return to Mobile after Josh Woods, who represents District 6 on the Mobile City Council, recently changed his mind to support a funding agreement and ground lease with Amtrak, AL.com reported. Now that it has the needed votes on the council, a vote on the funding agreement and ground lease with Amtrak for a train stop at the foot of Government Street downtown could come as early as August 6. The city says it has finalized the language of the agreement and lease with Amtrak, which is to operate two round trips per day between Mobile and New Orleans with four stops in Mississippi. “Amtrak will work with the Port and our other railroad partners, CSX and Norfolk Southern, to carry out the track upgrades and other improvements needed to start Amtrak service as soon as possible,” Amtrak Vice President Ray Lang said. Federal rail officials have given a more than $170-million federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant to improve rail infrastructure around Mobile, and the Alabama Port Authority board has agreed to provide $1 million to the three-year subsidy. The State of Alabama also indicated it would be willing to provide approximately $1 million, leaving Mobile to provide the remaining $1 million.