When Amtrak’s long-anticipated Mardi Gras Service begins rolling between Mobile and New Orleans on Aug. 18, passengers can expect a 3.5-hour trip—with potential for an even quicker journey down the line.

But while the train is on track, much of the $178 million in federally funded infrastructure upgrades meant to support and accelerate the service is still sitting in the station.

Despite the slow start on construction, project supporters say delays won’t impact the train’s launch.

“I think the whole thing is that we have to show it will be successful,” said Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission (SRC), which has championed restoring Gulf Coast passenger rail since Hurricane Katrina knocked it offline nearly 20 years ago.

“What (Amtrak) did was have the schedule published based on what infrastructure is there now,” Ross said. “The schedule will be sped up as projects are completed. The idea is that these improvements, as they cut in, will improve the schedule.”

Schedules

Confusion over the new route’s timing flared in April, when Amtrak responded to questions on a social media post by citing a six-to-eight-hour one-way trip between Mobile and New Orleans—a duration far longer than the scheduled 3.5 hours. By comparison, driving from Mobile to Houston takes about seven hours.

Both Ross and Amtrak say that estimate is incorrect and likely the result of a posting error.

Marc Magliari, spokesperson for Amtrak, confirmed that while infrastructure work will continue during the launch of service, it should not derail the schedule.

“There will be several infrastructure projects that will be under construction while the service occurs,” he said, and while “related delays may occur,” he added, “schedules are always subject to change, and it is a common practice for us to shorten them as improvements are made that will reduce travel time.”

CSX work

Still, questions remain about exactly when many of those improvements will begin, let alone be completed.

Most of the work tied to the $178 million CRISI grant falls under the purview of CSX, the freight rail operator that controls much of the Gulf Coast line and once objected to Amtrak’s return to the Gulf Coast. A CSX spokesperson confirmed that the company’s grant-related work is underway but declined to offer specifics.

“The projects are designed to facilitate efficient movement of both passenger and freight trains on the Gulf Coast corridor,” said CSX spokesperson Austin Staton.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration in an email to AL.com, CSX submitted concept plans for several components on May 15. Among them:

• 13,500 feet of new track at the Gentilly Bypass near New Orleans
• 4,700 feet of rail siding in Pearlington, Mississippi
• 6,800 feet of rail siding in Biloxi
• 4,500 feet of rail siding in Gulfport
• Replacement of three hand-throw turnouts in Theodore to speed up CSX switching operations and clear the main line more efficiently

Several other upgrades funded by the CRISI grant, however, have yet to be formally submitted for approval. One such project, in Mobile, is a joint effort between CSX and the Alabama State Port Authority known as the “Virginia Street Lead.”

That work includes 1,400 feet of new track and the refurbishment of 4,100 feet of existing rail to improve access to the McDuffie Island Coal Terminal. The upgrade is intended to reduce potential conflicts between freight and passenger trains, according to the grant application.

Maggie Oliver, spokesperson with the Port Authority, said work on their project has not yet started.

Norfolk Southern

Norfolk Southern is also connected to three rail crossover projects as outlined within the CRISI grant application. A crossover is a rail track configuration that allows trains to switch between parallel tracks, enabling them to cross one track to another, and is designed to facilitate a smoother flow of train traffic on busy lines.

“Norfolk Southern will host the Gulf Coast train for just a few miles along its route from Mobile to New Orleans, as it transits to and from the CSX line into and out of New Orleans Back Belt and the New Orleans station,” said Kasandra Ortiz, spokesperson with Norfolk Southern.

The crossover projects, all located in New Orleans, will cost an estimated $20 million, Ortiz said.

She said the Gulf Coast route is part of Norfolk Southern’s 22-state service area, adding that “we are confident that these improvements will ensure efficient passenger and freight service which will continue to have a positive impact on the local tourism and the economy.”

CSX, Norfolk Southern and the Port Authority were included in a high-profile lawsuit with Amtrak that was before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board until late 2022. A confidential agreement was authorized that year, which led to the approval of the CRISI grant and a major financial investment into upgrading the rail line.

Ross said that other components listed within the CRISI grant are being handled by local governments and are likely to already have been completed. He said that grade crossing improvements in Mississippi are finished.

Train station projects, also outlined in the CRISI grant, are expected to be completed by the time the Mardi Gras service begins. The final station project to be under construction was the new platform in Mobile, which will be located adjacent to Cooper Riverside Park and next to the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center along Water Street.

Service

David Clark, president & CEO with Visit Mobile and one of the Alabama commissioners on the SRC, said that Amtrak’s posting of the train schedule “gives me confidence” about the project’s efficiency and the timing of the trains.

“That doesn’t mean to say that the scheduled routes will not change from time to time,” Clark said. “I know Amtrak will communicate those changes as they happen.”

Amtrak, in announcing the service start date on July 1, said the twice-daily service between the cities will begin each morning from Mobile at 6:30 a.m. The westbound stops include the following locations: 7:13 a.m. in Pascagoula, 7:45 a.m. in Biloxi, 8:11 a.m. in Gulfport, 8:42 a.m. in Bay St. Louis, and 10:30 a.m. in New Orleans.

Similar durations exist for the evening trip from Mobile to New Orleans, and the two eastbound trips from New Orleans to Mobile.

Amtrak Mardi Gras Service includes three cars and two locomotives. Seating capacity is 135, with the ability to add more. The Amtrak train will offer Coach and Business class services in addition to Café services.

The Café menu will feature Gulf Coast cuisine, including a Muffaletta sandwich, Pralines and Moon Pies, and local beers like New Orleans-based Abita and Gulfport-based Chandeleur Island Brewing Company.

The initial trip from Mobile to New Orleans is sold out, but coach seats are still available for the return trip on the 4:30 p.m. departure from New Orleans eastbound to Mobile. The fare is $46.

Amtrak announced on July 1, that adult coach fares from Mobile to New Orleans started at $15 each way, and less for shorter distances.

One week later, on Monday, Aug. 25, the fare is $24 for a one-way coach trip from Mobile to New Orleans, $59 for a business class fare. The 4:30 p.m. departure from New Orleans is similarly priced.