Amtrak Coming to Southern MS

[CrazyTrain]

I know it's been a while since I've posted. Life has been crazy away from the internet, but a friend shared this info on Facebook this morning so I wanted to share. It appears there will be a new Amtrak line connecting New Orleans and Mobile with stops in 4 towns in Southern Mississippi.

http://www.wlox.com/2019/02/27/plans-railroad-service-or-mobilenew-orleans-move-forward-biloxi/?fbclid=IwAR2bPtMExeu6uyEF-B5UfysuekeYCvi8jvG-6IeOM7ORVlPD_6LWA-UlndE

 

[cpotisch]

ILOXI, MS (WLOX) - Biloxi residents could see trains carrying passengers rolling on the tracks between New Orleans and Mobile in as little as 2 years, according to the Southern Rail Commission today.

The key word here is "could". Nothing is guaranteed. While it is possible, I really really doubt it would happen anytime soon (if ever). Then again, if Anderson's idea of building out corridors and veering away from LD service actually happens, perhaps we will at some point. But two years sounds exceedingly optimistic.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

I know that the lack of rail service along the Gulf Coast post-Katrina is nuanced and complicated, but this is what it seems like to me:  You have something that's in good working order and you use it because it's there.   Then someone or something comes along and destroys it.  You then think to yourself "well I didn't really want or need that thing anyway" and you do nothing to repair or restore it.    You may even throw it out as trash.   

 

[cpotisch]

I know that the lack of rail service along the Gulf Coast post-Katrina is nuanced and complicated, but this is what it seems like to me:  You have something that's in good working order and you use it because it's there.   Then someone or something comes along and destroys it.  You then think to yourself "well I didn't really want or need that thing anyway" and you do nothing to repair or restore it.    You may even throw it out as trash.   

I'm pretty sure the trackage is all still there and could handle a train. What happened is they just "suspended" service east of New Orleans during the Hurricane, and never bothered to un-suspend it.

In fact, didn't Amtrak run a special "executive" train (with Ocean View, New River, Beech Grove, etc) on that track pretty recently?

 

[LookingGlassTie]

I'm pretty sure the trackage is all still there and could handle a train. What happened is they just "suspended" service east of New Orleans during the Hurricane, and never bothered to un-suspend it.

In fact, didn't Amtrak run a special "executive" train (with Ocean View, New River, Beech Grove, etc) on that track pretty recently?

Ohhh gotcha!

I was thinking more in terms of whether that trackage is ready for full-time Amtrak service and whether any station stops along the route are ready for service or not.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Ohhh gotcha!

I was thinking more in terms of whether that trackage is ready for full-time Amtrak service and whether any station stops along the route are ready for service or not.

That is the issue.  I believe the tracks are being used by the track owner(s) ?CSX? but they're not necessarily ready for passenger trains.  And the stations may not be ready for passengers.  

 

[sttom]

Still a cool prospect. 

 

[Anderson]

From what I can tell, this chunk (New Orleans-Biloxi/Mobile) doesn't need much to work for pax service unless speed upgrades are needed.  However, I think the stations need replacing...which probably guarantees this won't be happening in two years.

 

[sttom]

If stations are the only thing that needs work, that would be cheap to fix. Which could possibly be funded locally which would take away from the state complaining about it being expensive. 

 

[jis]

The more pertinent problem has always been getting CSX to agree to a reasonable trackage charge and the laundry list of upgrades demanded by them before service can start.

 

[cirdan]

This sounds like a reasonable compromise for CSX. Amtrak gets to go to Mobile in return for permanently abandoning the Florida extension.

Sounds like a very good deal for CSX.

Maybe not such a good deal for the Florida panhandle.

 

[Anderson]

So, it's about 145 route-miles from New Orleans to Mobile.  2x round-trips per day would give 580 train-miles per day (or 211,700 per year).  I'm not sure what a reasonable charge per train-mile would be, but IIRC MARC pays something like $22-26/mile (which would be about $4.6-5.5m/yr).  I cannot say whether this is "reasonable" or not (it certainly feels high), but $10-12/train mile ($2.1-2.5m/yr) probably wouldn't be absurd.

 

[cpotisch]

I wonder, if the CONO were extended, could the Sunset possibly run through-cars to it? :huh:

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

I wonder, if the CONO were extended, could the Sunset possibly run through-cars to it? :huh:

Based on current schedules, it would be close to a 24 hour connection, so it doesn't seem likely. Even if that were changed, it would introduce an increased possibility of major delays. 

 

[Anderson]

I wonder, if the CONO were extended, could the Sunset possibly run through-cars to it? :huh:

A better arrangement, frankly, would be for Amtrak to work out a deal with a nearby hotel to book space and include a connecting shuttle.  Not ideal, I know, but in the context of NOL also not a horrible idea (especially since there are other train combos, all of which require overnight stays).

 

[jis]

The Southern Rail Commission specifically does not want their trains to be tied to the Sunset in anyway such that a delay in Sunset propagates to their train.

A better arrangement, frankly, would be for Amtrak to work out a deal with a nearby hotel to book space and include a connecting shuttle.  Not ideal, I know, but in the context of NOL also not a horrible idea (especially since there are other train combos, all of which require overnight stays).

Follow VIA's Skeena model

 

[Anderson]

The Southern Rail Commission specifically does not want their trains to be tied to the Sunset in anyway such that a delay in Sunset propagates to their train.

Follow VIA's Skeena model

It isn't a bad model in this case.  With a Sunset (terminating in New Orleans), a Crescent (terminating in New Orleans), and the CONO presumably running through you've got six train pairs.  Even pulling an average of 10 individual pax/day connecting across the six pairs (admittedly, presuming a Daily Sunset in some form), that's a deal for over 3500 room-nights/year...and adding it in would likely induce at least a little bit of ridership by that route (particularly whenever Chicago gets "locked up").