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Passenger rail service is returning to the port city. Mobile’s city council approved a $3 million measure to bring Amtrak to the city. A study must be completed by Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Amtrak before final approval, as the passenger line will share the tracks with freight trains.
The council approved the measure by a vote of 6-1. Councilman Joel Daves was the lone dissenter.
While many around the city are excited about the return of passenger rail, there has been plenty of doubters as well. Some were concerned that passenger rail could interfere with freight traffic. Others don’t believe the project will be sustainable and get little use.
There was plenty of optimism on social media. Locals cheered the prospect of taking a trip to Biloxi or New Orleans without having to drive. Local businesses should benefit as well, as the rail will open up Mobile to more travelers.
Amtrak is a quasi-public corporation. It runs as a for-profit business, but it also receives state and federal subsidies. It was founded in 1971 and currently serves 500 destinations, visiting 46 states and 3 Canadian provinces. In 2018, over 31 million people rode on Amtrak trains. Over 87,000 of those rode on a daily basis.
The train is expected to run 2 times a day, 7 days a week in Mobile.