Restoration of New Orleans - Mobile - Jacksonville Gulf Coast Service

[Devil's Advocate]

Deep South seems to be out pacing other parts of the country, especially the rust belt states, as industry and those leaving high tax states head south.

Imagine being proud of your ability to undermine American wages and benefits in other states and winning by default as the lowest and least ethical bidder. Bravo.

 

[Palmland]

Wow, DA. Tell that to all the previously unemployed workers with jobs in auto assembly plants and other industry in the south. Sure wages are lower, and so is the cost of living. Move on down, you might like it.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Been there done that. Lived there four years when wife taught for the Navy power school in CHS. Downtown CHS is a great place to visit for the weekend but that’s it. Ten miles away it’s a different story. I was down there a few months ago checking on our old house that we rent now. It’s a second world country quality of life, healthcare, and education at best.


Frustrating and sad. I have black renters now and the neighbors call them the N word when they are outside . On my trip I actually went to the sheriffs office to inquire about what we could do about it. The clerk at the desks response was that this area doesn’t like rentals and more so with black tenants. Nothing could be done about it. I was speechless.

 

[jis]

Wow, DA. Tell that to all the previously unemployed workers with jobs in auto assembly plants and other industry in the south. Sure wages are lower, and so is the cost of living. Move on down, you might like it.

DA lives in Texas. I don't think he needs to move anywhere to get the first hand experience

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Wow, DA. Tell that to all the previously unemployed workers with jobs in auto assembly plants and other industry in the south. Sure wages are lower, and so is the cost of living. Move on down, you might like it.

Tell this to all the previously employed workers who used to have good jobs but now live on subsistence income. This is nothing but lazy circular logic which doesn't go anywhere because it's not based on a rational perspective. You should be thankful everyone has not simply "moved down" to the South because then you'd be forced to compete with a much larger labor pool for the same number of jobs. My own state of Texas benefits from policies that exacerbate domestic arbitrage, and is proudly moving toward debtor status at the federal level, but that's nothing to crow about.

 

[Palmland]

Thank you for your comments, DA. Perhaps we should return to a discussion of Gulf Coast service.

 

[MARC Rider]

Tell this to all the previously employed workers who used to have good jobs but now live on subsistence income. This is nothing but lazy circular logic which doesn't go anywhere because it's not based on a rational perspective. You should be thankful everyone has not simply "moved down" to the South because then you'd be forced to compete with a much larger labor pool for the same number of jobs. My own state of Texas benefits from policies that exacerbate domestic arbitrage, and is proudly moving toward debtor status at the federal level, but that's nothing to crow about.

Well, we'll see what happens when the corporate overlords figure out that they can get even cheaper wages and even less regulation by moving to Latin America than they have in the southern states. Actually, a lot of them have done this.

To get back to transportation, not only do they not fund railroads down there, they don't fund roads very well (except maybe for Texas). I-95 was pothole city all the way up from Savannah to Virginia. Really wants to make you move your factory down there and have your products jostled around on the drive up to market.

 

[Suze10860]

Haven’t read all of the posts in this thread, but did want to add my two cents.

As a born and bred Northeastern girl, yearning for the day when my husband and I move down to our Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, future-retirement home, I’m crossing my fingers that Alabama reconsiders and approves the necessary funding for this project.

I know that Mississippi and Louisiana have pledged their full support and I can only hope that Mobile, Alabama, will do the same!

BTW: The Mississippi Gulf Coast is one of the best kept secrets as far as retirement living - at least here in New Jersey!! Can’t wait to be there full time. A railroad line with a stop within walking distance from our adorable little beach cottage would surely be like the cherry on the cake for us!

 

[west point]

Hope your beach cottage is on stilts and has hurricane ties. Otherwise getting insurance may not be possible.

 

[Suze10860]

Not to get too far off topic, but we've had the house for over 3 years, it's not in a flood zone, it is walking distance to a beautiful new marina and the one-time train depot, and home owners insurance isn't an issue. It's actually comparable to what we pay in premiums here in Northern NJ - where everything is overpriced!!! Again, most people have no idea what they're missing! But thanks for your concern!

 

[jiml]

To get back to transportation, not only do they not fund railroads down there, they don't fund roads very well (except maybe for Texas). I-95 was pothole city all the way up from Savannah to Virginia. Really wants to make you move your factory down there and have your products jostled around on the drive up to market.

To an observer, the state-to-state differences in road quality are really quite stunning. We are currently driving on I-65 to Florida and just left Kentucky's stretch - 3 lanes each way of beautifully kept concrete roadway - to cross into Tennessee. It was like a different country. Two lanes of badly-laid asphalt, with potholes, craters and crumbing shoulders. Some places look like they may have started work by scraping the latest surface, then given up leaving the detrius of that process to be scattered everywhere. It doesn't bode well for those hoping for TN to contribute to a passenger train.

(In fairness to Tennessee, many jurisdictions have different priorities for tax dollars, but this contrast was quite obvious.)

 

[MikefromCrete]

To an observer, the state-to-state differences in road quality are really quite stunning. We are currently driving on I-65 to Florida and just left Kentucky's stretch - 3 lanes each way of beautifully kept concrete roadway - to cross into Tennessee. It was like a different country. Two lanes of badly-laid asphalt, with potholes, craters and crumbing shoulders. Some places look like they may have started work by scraping the latest surface, then given up leaving the detrius of that process to be scattered everywhere. It doesn't bode well for those hoping for TN to contribute to a passenger train.

(In fairness to Tennessee, many jurisdictions have different priorities for tax dollars, but this contrast was quite obvious.)

Don't forget: Mitch McConnel'l's wife is the U.S. secretary of transportation. I'm sure lots of federal money flows into Kentucky.

 

[Anthony V]

Back on topic. It looks like the train will run to Mobile! The city council voted "YES!" on the new service.
https://www.wlox.com/2020/02/04/amtrak-span-coast-after-mobile-votes-allow-rail-service/

 

[Suze10860]

That is so wonderful!! Thank you for posting that.

 

[Palmland]

That is good news. Suze, we’ll be in that neck of the woods for our son and family spring break at Orange Beach, AL. They’re also NJ residents. Glad to see Mobile got on board with this. I’ll bet this train becomes very popular with the coastal communities.

Now, just connect Mobile to Atlanta that is the economic engine for that part of the country. Maybe shift the Crescent back to its original route from Atlanta on the Southern and L&N RR that would include Montgomery, the state Capitol. Maybe a stub train then, Atlanta to Birmingham and perhaps Meridian (that includes Tuscaloosa- Univ.of AL). The Montgomery routing was about an hour faster than via Birmingham In the days when trains ran on both routes.

 

[MARC Rider]

Don't forget: Mitch McConnel'l's wife is the U.S. secretary of transportation. I'm sure lots of federal money flows into Kentucky.

Actually, any money that would flow into a state outside of the stuff apportioned by the civil servants at the national level would have to be done by something called an "earmark," otherwise known as "pork" or "pork barrel" spending, where the various Senators approve goodies for each other in a game of mutual back-scratching which is not always delineated by party lines. Thus, despite Mitch's great power, if he wants to get some pork for his state, he'll have to approve some pork for states represented by other Senators. The same thing happens in the House, of course. Typically, the amount is small enough compared to the total appropriation that it doesn't muck up the economy of whatnot. It's basically the grease that gets the public business done. It helps people who are otherwise political enemies work together.

I seem to recall that when the Republicans took over Congress back in 2011, they made a big deal about eliminating this "corrupt" practice. I haven't been following about whether they've kept to their pledge, but it might explain some of the Congressional gridlock and dysfunction we've been having over the past decade.

 

[DonNewcomb]

https://www.wlox.com/2020/02/04/amtrak-span-coast-after-mobile-votes-allow-rail-service/

 

[MARC Rider]

Imagine being proud of your ability to undermine American wages and benefits in other states and winning by default as the lowest and least ethical bidder. Bravo.

Ah, but imagine the schadenfreunde we Yankees will have when the corporate overlords who moved operations to the South for the coolie wages and low taxes find out that they can do their stuff for even lower coolie wages and lower taxes (even counting bribes) in various developing countries.

It already happened to the South with the textile industry. And I once had a manager at Michelin in South Carolina tell me that if Michelin had waited a few more years, they might have based the Western Hemisphere manufacturing in Latin America rather than South Carolina. (BTW, the last set of Goodyear tires I bought was made in Chile.)

 

[noflyzone]

We live on the Ms. coast and this is wonderful news. We can now travel to New Orleans or Mobile for cruises and don't have to drive and don't have to pay for extended parking.
Also, hopefully this will also be a catalyst for further service on to Jacksonville, Florida. Many seniors from Florida come to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to play in the casinos. And I'm sure many others will be travelling to Mobile and New Orleans for tourism. What an economic boost for our communities! I think this is a win-win for everyone. Post Katrina, everything on our gulf coast is new and a world class aquarium is about to open in Gulfport, along with many new casinos and big name entertainment. New restaurants, seafood galore, and certainly something for everyone.
Do you like old cars? In October we have an event called, Cruisin the Coast. It lasts for a week and it is approaching a record 10,000 antique and classic cars. Many events here. Famous 60s bands and classic entertainment.
We have children and grandchildren in Florida and I can tell you that the 525 mile drive is getting very old.
We both also abhor flying too. Looking forward to the possibilities for train travel in the future.

 

[Qapla]

Any word on when the trains will start rolling into Mobile?

 

[jis]

Any word on when the trains will start rolling into Mobile?

2023

 

[noflyzone]

I heard somewhere that it would be within 24 months after Mobile approved their support.
Then on to Jacksonville!

 

[DonNewcomb]

We live on the Ms. ..... Post Katrina, everything on our gulf coast is new and a world class aquarium is about to open in Gulfport, along with many new casinos and big name entertainment. New restaurants, seafood galore, and certainly something for everyone.....

We do have it pretty good here, winter weather is generally pleasant. We get a lot of snowbirds. From what I've seen, this might restored service might be pretty good for people from Atlanta or Birmingham who want to visit our area but won't beat Greyhound for day trips to or from New Orleans and probably won't connect to the City of New Orleans, which would be the best thing for tourism. Folks from Atlanta can drive to north Florida and it's an easy enough drive from Birmingham to anywhere from Panama City to Pensacola. We need a way for the folks from the midwest to visit. At last check, nothing connects to anything else in New Orleans and that's the biggest issue. Arriving there's a 10-hour layover between the Sunset and the Crescent. Overnight departing. There's a 6-hour layover between the CoNO and Crescent and 8 hours departing. The Greyhound bus is not much better for connections at NOLA.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

We do have it pretty good here, winter weather is generally pleasant. We get a lot of snowbirds. From what I've seen, this might restored service might be pretty good for people from Atlanta or Birmingham who want to visit our area but won't beat Greyhound for day trips to or from New Orleans and probably won't connect to the City of New Orleans, which would be the best thing for tourism. Folks from Atlanta can drive to north Florida and it's an easy enough drive from Birmingham to anywhere from Panama City to Pensacola. We need a way for the folks from the midwest to visit. At last check, nothing connects to anything else in New Orleans and that's the biggest issue. Arriving there's a 10-hour layover between the Sunset and the Crescent. Overnight departing. There's a 6-hour layover between the CoNO and Crescent and 8 hours departing. The Greyhound bus is not much better for connections at NOLA.

I believe the proposed twice daily schedule for the Mobile service would connect to the CONO, but not the Crescent or SL.

 

[user 14106]

Also, hopefully this will also be a catalyst for further service on to Jacksonville, Florida. Many seniors from Florida come to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to play in the casinos. And I'm sure many others will be travelling to Mobile and New Orleans for tourism. What an economic boost for our communities! I think this is a win-win for everyone. Post Katrina, everything on our gulf coast is new and a world class aquarium is about to open in Gulfport, along with many new casinos and big name entertainment. New restaurants, seafood galore, and certainly something for everyone.
Do you like old cars? In October we have an event called, Cruisin the Coast. It lasts for a week and it is approaching a record 10,000 antique and classic cars. Many events here. Famous 60s bands and classic entertainment.
We have children and grandchildren in Florida and I can tell you that the 525 mile drive is getting very old.

My understanding is that won’t happen unless there is a change in state level leadership in Alabama. I believe the lack of support by Governor Kay Ivey killed any extension East of Mobile and is also the reason why the city has to provide the funding in place of the state government. The original proposal included the multiple frequencies to Mobile with a single train operating to Florida.