NOUPT Upgrades to begin

NativeSon5859 · Sep 6, 2019

This is good news. New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal getting some love.

https://nola.gov/mayor/news/septem...project-to-renovate-union-passenger-terminal/

Also, I like this quote from Amtrak...

"Amtrak commends Mayor Cantrell and her leadership in seeking this federal grant for UPT, which we matched with $900,000 to make needed ADA improvements. New Orleans is one of two places on the Amtrak network where our customers change between eastern and western trains," said Ray Lang, Senior Director, Amtrak Government Affairs. "This work will benefit our current customers and set the stage for more service to and from New Orleans with our partners at the Southern Rail Commission."

Qapla · Sep 6, 2019

Now if they will restore the service from NO to JAX

drdumont · Sep 7, 2019

Would be a nice way to dedicate the station improvements, wouldn't it?

MikefromCrete · Sep 7, 2019

Dream on, guys. The Sunset East is dead. The sale of CSX's Florida Panhandle line to a short line is the final nail in the coffin. It looks like there will be twice-daily service to Mobile, however, a service that will be much more useful to more people. Getting multiple trains to and from Baton Rouge (a long sought-after goal) will be even better.

neroden · Sep 8, 2019

Mr. Anderson doesn't seem to recognize the existence of any of the three trains currently serving New Orleans.

jis · Sep 8, 2019

MikefromCrete said:
Dream on, guys. The Sunset East is dead. The sale of CSX's Florida Panhandle line to a short line is the final nail in the coffin. It looks like there will be twice-daily service to Mobile, however, a service that will be much more useful to more people. Getting multiple trains to and from Baton Rouge (a long sought-after goal) will be even better.

Sunset East has been dead ever since the Southern Rail Commission put out its report, irrespective of who owns the Florida Panhandle route. Any service that happens (if and when) between JAX and Florida will have nothing to do with the Sunset Limited. Merely a Short Line owning a segment of route does not in and of itself determine anything. Amtrak does run on other Short Lines (think Cardinal). It just creates a different set of hurdles and opportunities.