Freight operators and the Alabama Port Authority have argued that introducing twice-daily Amtrak passenger service between Mobile and New Orleans – without any improvements to the 120-mile train line – will create “staggering” delays in Alabama.
The STB also set two hearing dates on Nov. 17 and 18, for examination and cross-examination of new evidence that has been supplied to the STB, and to present closing arguments.“Amtrak appreciates the Surface Transportation Board’s continued attention to the Gulf Coast service and will be prepared to participate in the next hearing,” a statement from the passenger rail company said on Friday. “We remain committed to working with our partners to advance this important new service.
The Dec. 7 date looms as an important potential conclusion to a years-long odyssey that has captured national attention over the fate of Amtrak’s expansion throughout the United States. The Biden administration is pushing to expand the passenger rail company’s network following a $66 billion injection of federal funds through the bipartisan infrastructure act that won congressional approval in late 2021. It represents the greatest level of investment into Amtrak since it was founded more than 50 years ago.
The STB, a federal board that is overseeing the fate of the passenger rail service, has been overseeing Amtrak’s case for months and ordered mediation between the sides in May. This is the first time in the STB’s 26-year history that it’s involved in determining the control of a U.S. rail line pitting Amtrak against freight operators.
At the crux of the issue is whether a mandate established in 1971 should continue to require freight railroads to give passenger trains access to rail tracks in the U.S. Experts believe the Gulf Coast case could set a precedence for Amtrak’s operations throughout the country because it mostly operates on tracks owned by freight companies.
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