Amtrak Resumes Passenger Rail Service Between Mobile and New Orleans 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina
Lt. General Russel Honore joins FOX Weather to share his experience during Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago, where he helped lead the relief efforts after the historic storm. Two decades after Hurricane Katrina ended passenger rail service along the Gulf Coast, Amtrak trains are once again rolling between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Tickets recently went on sale for what the train operator is calling its “Mardi Gras Service,” featuring twice-daily runs between southeast Louisiana and southern Alabama.
Passenger service in the region has been suspended since 2005, when Category 3 Katrina roared ashore, destroying critical infrastructure along the Interstate 10 corridor. The storm’s devastating impact on the region led to a significant disruption in transportation services, including the suspension of Amtrak’s passenger rail service. The historical hurricane track of Katrina in 2005. (NOAA, Office for Coastal Management, DigitalCoast / FOX Weather)
Revitalizing Local Economies and Tourism
“We know this service will have a tremendous impact in boosting our local economies, connecting people with jobs and education opportunities, and bolstering our vibrant tourism industry in the coastal cities along the route, and we encourage everyone to start buying tickets for your upcoming travel,” Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross said in a statement. Adult fares are said to start at just $15 for the 145-mile trip, which takes over four hours to complete. Though the journey is slower than traditional driving, advocates say the route’s convenience and affordability make it an appealing option. 
Amtrak travel file photo. (Amtrak / FOX Weather)
City leaders and tourism officials in New Orleans, Gulfport, and Mobile all celebrated the effort and believe the route will lead to an economic boom. “Amtrak’s return to the Gulf Coast has been a long time coming,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell stated. “Amtrak Mardi Gras Service reconnects New Orleans to its Gulf Coast neighbors in Mississippi and Alabama, bringing benefits to our residents, businesses, and visitors and furthering anchoring New Orleans as the premier passenger rail hub in the South.” 
Amtrak Mardi Gras route map (Amtrak / FOX Weather)
Hurricane Katrina’s Devastating Impact
The U.S. Department of Transportation said more than 100 miles of rail were destroyed during winds that reached 125 mph and a storm surge of upwards of 28 feet. The latest official death toll from the storm is 1,392 fatalities, according to records from the National Hurricane Center. The disaster was the deadliest cyclone since the “Okeechobee Hurricane” struck South Florida, killing nearly 3,000 people in 1928. 
Shelton Alexander was one of 30,000 people trapped in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina’s wrath on New Orleans in 2005. Now, 20 years later, Alexander recounts the three days he spent inside the stadium and how he got out.
For more information on the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the resumption of Amtrak’s passenger rail service, visit Here
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