It is essential for transportation in the south and southwest for Amtrak to restore the “suspended” service east of New Orleans.
Gulfport, Mobile, Pensacola and Tallahassee have been without Amtrak service since hurricane Katrina in 1993 2005.
Amtrak has announced a program to upgrade service on the Sunset route. Having put all issues (including scheduling) on the table, and proposing a much needed improvement in Beaumont, Texas, we must presume that Amtrak is serious.
If you will excuse the big word, it is disingenuous to propose that a route, once included in the national system, is now transformed into an exclusive state responsibility.
You can read and sign the national petition here.
Filed under: Amtrak, Passenger Rail Politics, Passenger Rail Transportatio Policy, Regional USA Passenger Rail
Trains For America 
1993?
Thanks, Robert. I was obviously confused with another monumental disaster of 1993, MY FIRST MARRIAGE.
I’ll ask again, as have others, what do you propose as a source of equipment for these trains? The management at Amtrak, starting long before Hurricane Katrina, started putting all of their “eggs” in the Acela/NE Corridor basket and have let the long-distance trains (which normally have higher “occupancy” and $/train mile) languish. One simply cannot re-establish #25 and #26 AND run #1 and #2 daily from MIA to LAX without new equipment. The wrecks at Beeech Grove wont provide the necessary equipment and back-up for bad orders, storms, etc. Please, let us try to be realistic on this site and not pretend that there can be a train wherever we want it tomorrow. Let’s leave those dreams to reailfans and “foamers”.
You make a good point. Nonetheless, the route between New Orleans and Jacksonville is part of the national system. Somehow, pre-Katrina, Amtrak was able to come up with the equipment for that train. In fact, a full set idles in New Orleans for days now.
But, let me not get into the trap of mouthing off about things of which I know nothing.
At the end of the day, it wouls be a positve gesture for Amtrak to acknowledge the obligation and begin some sort of process for restoration.
That will mean a deployment of equipment and providing a station at Mobile.
I have a question about Mobile. Is the old GM&O station a possibility? I am aware that would be a back in move eastbound and back-out westbound. It is not the best circumstances.
Surely the platform at the old L&N station still exists?
The speculatin aside, Amtrak can certainly state its intentions.
The old platform at the L&N station was never much and probably does not exist now. IN any case it would not meet the ADA compliance standards. The GM&O station, while very nice, and I believe still in existence would require a back-in move for eastbound trains and back-out for westbound at the very least and I am not sure if there is any connection anyway.