Amtrak on hold in South Mississippi, but taking bids for platform construction

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Passenger rail service on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is in a holding pattern for now. A February hearing with the Surface Transportation Board will determine if the plans to launch passenger train service from New Orleans to Mobile can move forward.

While waiting on that ruling, WLOX News has learned Amtrak is taking steps to get the proposed four stops - Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula - ready to welcome passengers. Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard says Amtrak is getting ready to take bids for contractors to build the train platforms which are needed before service can start.

“It looks to me like everything with Amtrak is on track to have our platform built and have train service ready for fall,” Leonard said.

Originally, each city was going to be responsible for building those platforms, but Amtrak has now taken over that role.

Amtrak also confirms that it is in the process of hiring crews to work the New Orleans to Mobile route when it launches. Some of those hires have already been made.