Amtrak begins new service between New Orleans, Mobile
Why it matters: The Mardi Gras line links New Orleans with four other Gulf Coast towns between it and Alabama, a move that city and state officials will boost tourism and business opportunities along that stretch while, they hope, proving regional rail can thrive in the Deep South.
State of play: Tickets for the train's first day of return to public service on Monday sold out, a spokesman says, and Saints game days already appear popular for future dates.
A key for Amtrak growth means having more of a presence beyond the Northeast," company president Roger Harris tells Axios New Orleans. Amtrak expects to release its 2024 fiscal reports soon, which Harris says will show record ridership.
"One of the missions we're on is to make sure rail transportation is available in a convenient way to greater parts of the country," he says.
Amtrak hopes the Mardi Gras line's return jumpstarts that, especially with the service's existing routes that already connect New Orleans to places like Chicago and Houston.
"Transportation is a network function," Harris says. "That is important: getting that critical mass together in any one area is that self-reinforcing activity."
Zoom in: Saturday's inaugural ride was filled with about 300 Amtrak guests, including local and state politicians, tourism boosters and New Orleans Mardi Gras royalty.
They boarded in time for an 8am send-off complete with a brass band led second-line and showers of purple, green and gold confetti.
The train made each of what'll be its usual stops in in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, though this time with marching bands and waving crowds at each before a final lunchtime bash in Mobile.
The vibe: As the view outside fell away from New Orlean suburbs, the train on Saturday chugged under and over bridges and through stretches of marshland, beachfront, open water and, eventually, forested thickets before landing at the edge of Mobile's port.
It's a stunning ride that far outpaces the view from I-10 without any of its traffic. Plus, it has snacks, WiFi and plenty of legroom. (The quarter muffuletta was an especially pleasant surprise, with a tangy olive salad and soft, sesame seed-studded breaded.)
The line itself is still undergoing some key improvements, a spokesman says, which for now require a few slowdowns below its top speed of 79 mph. That means service along the route will only get faster.
How it works: Tickets start at $15, with discounts available for seniors, groups, kids, veterans and military personnel.
Departures are planned from each stop twice daily.
What's next: Local leaders and Amtrak officials hope the long-promised train route between New Orleans and Baton Rouge soon becomes a reality that leads to a rail expansion between metro areas across the state.
The needed replacement of a trestle bridge over the Bonnet Carre spillway remains a sticking point, Harris says.
"We need to use this as a launching pad to get the rail to Baton Rouge and to Shreveport and across North Louisiana," Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said Saturday. "We've got an incredible opportunity. ... If we can't get it done with (House Majority Leader) Steve Scalise and (Speaker of the House) Mike Johnson, it'll never get done."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
7 hours ago
- CBS News
Amtrak passengers stuck for hours on stranded train near Battle Creek
Passengers were stuck for about four hours on an Amtrak train headed to Dearborn over the weekend. The delay involved Train 352, with the mechanical problem happening about 7:14 p.m. Friday, according to a report from the train authority. Amtrak officials said its crews worked with local authorities to send police and EMS to the location, and that doors were opened to assist with air flow as temperatures reached 80 degrees in the passenger area. Snack packs and water also were distributed to passengers while they waited for bus transportation, which arrived about 11:45 p.m.
Bloomberg
9 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Comcast Gets Serious About Subscriber Losses — A Long Fight Looms
Comcast Corp. has a problem — the company is losing customers in its most significant business, providing internet access to nearly 30 million American households. The Philadelphia-based telecom and media conglomerate has reported record losses of broadband subscribers for three straight quarters, more than half a million accounts in total, after pandemic-related federal subsidies for low-income customers ended and telecom companies like T-Mobile US Inc. got much more aggressive offering consumers alternative options.
Forbes
9 hours ago
- Forbes
Curbee: Mobile Automotive Service Increasingly Makes Economic Sense
People have shown they're amenable to have meals, books and clothing delivered to their homes. Increasingly routine services for cars and trucks at a consumer's home is occurring. 'It's becoming much more of a thing,' Amit Chandarana, founder and CEO of Curbee, said in an interview. Curbee provides mobile service technology for auto dealers. Last year, the company moved to take its technology national. Traditionally, vehicle owners took their cars and trucks to dealerships, garages and other providers of service for such things as oil changes, tire rotation, battery replacement, and work related to recalls. The time needed for such services can vary. Vehicle owners either waited while tasks were performed, or arranged to have rides until such work was completed. Advocates of mobile service say it can be more convenient and save time for vehicle owners. What's more, vehicles are increasingly computers on wheels. They sometimes require software updates, similar to personal computers and smartphones. Such updates can be provided by mobile service units. Chandarana said mobile service is a way for dealerships to expand their service resources at less cost. Curbee estimates a dealership can start mobile service for about $20,000 per unit compared with $200,000 or more to construct a new service bay at the dealership. Auto dealerships have seen oil-change businesses take customers away. Drivers replace oil and other fluids at such outlets rather than go into dealerships. Mobile service operations from dealerships 'is a way to recapture revenue they had lost,' Chandarana said. For dealers, vehicle service 'is the most stable part of the business,' he added. 'Customers have the need to have this choice' whether to travel to a dealer or have such services performed at home, Chandarana said. 'The more consumers know, they request it, the more dealers provide it.' Curbee says it helps dealers 'reimagine pay plants, technician career paths, and operational workflows so mobile becomes a growth opportunity, not an overwhelming burden,' the company said in a statement.
