(The Center Square) – Amtrak’s new rail service between New Orleans and Mobile has surpassed first-year ridership projections just six months after launch, according to Todd Stennis, Amtrak’s director of governmental affairs for the South region.
Speaking before Louisiana lawmakers, Stennis said the twice-daily service has drawn more than 78,000 riders as of late February, already exceeding the 76,000 riders Amtrak projected for its first year.
“It is safe to say that we have broken 80,000 riders already, and we’ve done that in six months,” Stennis said. “The service is extremely popular.”
Stennis said two other Louisiana passenger rail projects remain in early planning stages: a proposed New Orleans-to-Baton Rouge route handled through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification Program with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, and a separate Interstate 20 corridor proposal tied to the Southern Rail Commission.
Amtrak is not yet directly involved in those projects, he said, but could become more engaged as they advance through the federal process.
The “Mardi Gras” service runs two trains each morning and two each afternoon between New Orleans and Mobile, with stops along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi. Stennis said the route allows passengers to make same-day or overnight trips in either direction and also connects in New Orleans with Amtrak’s City of New Orleans line for trips north.
Stennis described the route as one of the most talked-about services in Amtrak’s system, saying it is changing transportation patterns across southeast Louisiana, the Mississippi Gulf Coast and south Alabama.
“This is the most popular Amtrak train in the entire network at this hour,” he told lawmakers.
Each train set has 137 seats, and the route is averaging about 408 riders per day, according to Stennis. He said weekend demand is the strongest, but weekday ridership remains solid as well. New Orleans and Mobile are the busiest endpoints, while Bay St. Louis has emerged as one of the strongest intermediate stations on the Gulf Coast.
Stennis also highlighted strong customer satisfaction and on-time performance, saying the service is posting some of the strongest ratings in the country.
Fares vary by day and class, but Stennis said one-way coach tickets generally start at about $30, while business-class fares are around $70.
In a brief interview after the hearing, Stennis said ticket revenue helps offset operating costs, and the state pays the remaining balance through existing support and grant funding.
He said the service is operated by Amtrak with support from Louisiana, Mississippi and Mobile. A federal Restoration and Enhancement grant also helps fund the service, with state matching dollars required.
Beyond operations, Stennis said more than $200 million in federal rail funding, matched by the states, is slated for capital improvements on the host freight railroads, Norfolk Southern and CSX. Those upgrades include longer sidings and faster turnouts aimed at improving traffic flow and eventually shortening travel times between New Orleans and Mobile over the next three to four years.
“What that’s going to change is it’s going to change the fluidity of the railroad,” Stennis said.
Lawmakers pressed Stennis on safety, noting several fatal crossing accidents since the Mardi Gras service began. Committee members said there had been five deaths tied to crossings along the route.
Stennis said all but one of the crossings involved were equipped with gates and lights, and the remaining crossing had flashing lights. He said the warning devices were functioning.
“Every one of these situations – well, I can’t get into the details of it – they’re all tragic situations, but they did have the appropriate safety devices there, and they were working,” Stennis said.
“If you come pull up to the railroad crossing and you see Mardi Gras coming, it’s gone in less than 10 seconds,” Stennis said. “That’s not worth anybody’s life.”
