Amtrak breaks ground on Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement project, marks significant milestones in station accessibility project, ridership on new state-sponsored route

Amtrak has had a busy week, marking the completion of a station improvement project in Westport, N.Y., while breaking ground on another improvement project in Mobile, Ala. The company also brought together stakeholders in St. Paul, Minn., to celebrate the Borealis reaching 100,000 riders.  

Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement project begins with groundbreaking ceremony  

U. S. Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose and representatives from Amtrak, CSX and the Southern Rail Commission joined Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson in downtown Mobile, Ala., for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of the Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement project. 

Funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the project will restore Amtrak service from New Orleans, La., to Mobile, a corridor that has not had passenger service since Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. 

“Restoring service to the Gulf Coast Rail Line has taken a lot of lifting, pushing, funding and teamwork — including across state lines, across the public-private line and across party lines,” Sec. Buttigieg said. “Under the leadership of President [Joe] Biden and Vice President [Kamala] Harris, and thanks to the historic funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re ready to get the Gulf Coast Rail rolling again. And with restored service, people in Alabama, in Mississippi and in Louisiana can be part of the economic growth and opportunity that comes from efficient, reliable passenger rail.” 

As part of the project, CSX will add a layover track so that passenger trains do not impact freight operations at the port of Mobile. Amtrak will also build a new passenger platform on the site of its legacy platform at Cooper Riverside Park on the downtown waterfront. Once the project is complete, Amtrak’s passenger line will connect coastal communities in three states with daily stops in New Orleans, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, Pascagoula, Biloxi and Mobile. 

“To make our goal of doubling ridership by 2040, we need more Amtrak trains, in more places and with more frequency. That’s one of the reasons we’ve worked so hard with the Southern Rail Commission, the Federal Railroad Administration and state and federal leaders to bring Amtrak service back to the Gulf Coast, which has been under-served for so long,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “When Amtrak service was here before Katrina, we passed through less than once a day. That’s not enough for the growing population in the region. Our team is as ready as you are to hear us say: ‘Y’all aboard.’” 

Westport Station accessibility improvements completed 

Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the town of Westport, N.Y., and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), have completed accessibility improvements to the Westport Station. This is part of a $3 million investment from Amtrak to upgrade the customer experience for those who travel on the Adirondack between New York City and Montreal and want to reach connections to other trains for travel to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Chicago and more. 

“We are proud to unveil our new accessibility and safety improvements at Westport Station, which supports three of Amtrak’s goals to enhance the customer experience, set the bar for modernization and bring greater integrated and comprehensive accessibility to stations across the country,” said Amtrak Vice President, Accessibility, Stations and Facilities David Handera, Ph.D. “Thanks to our partners at the town of Westport, Canadian Pacific Railway, the Federal Railroad Administration and all of the federal, state and local officials who supported this project, the residents and visitors of Westport will benefit from these upgrades when traveling by train.” 

The Westport Station features a new 120-foot platform, with an integrated platform snowmelt system and several accessibility improvements, including new accessible parking and a wheelchair lift with a secure enclosure. Additional safety improvements include new public right-of-way access, energy efficient LED light fixtures that provide full coverage lighting along the pathways and at the platform and all-new signage. 

The project is primarily funded by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration is investing more than ever in communities across the country. FRA is excited about the upgrades completed at Westport Station, and we are proud of our work with Amtrak to ensure more Americans, including those with disabilities and our aging population, have access to the passenger rail service they need and deserve,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “As part of the Biden-Harris’s Investing in America agenda and with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will continue to invest even more across the country to modernize and improve our nation’s rail infrastructure to expand reliable, convenient and accessible passenger service to more Americans.” 

Amtrak says it has invested more than $900 million since 2011 in accessibility upgrades and improvement projects at 125 stations across the national network to ensure a safe, efficient and comfortable travel experience for customers with disabilities. Twenty stations were brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2023. An additional 41 stations are targeted for completion in the next fiscal year at a forecasted investment of $245 million. 

In addition, Amtrak’s program is advancing 149 station designs and 61 station construction projects as part of its ongoing commitment to providing accessibility by working toward 100 percent completion by 2029. 

Borealis ridership surpasses 100,000 

Ridership on the new state-sponsored Borealis trains between St. Paul, Minn., and Chicago has propelled year-to-date ridership past 100,000 passengers. Operated daily by Amtrak under contracts with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, state transportation department and Amtrak officials turned out to ride both the east and westbound Borealis trains. 

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the excitement and ridership that the new service has created and couldn’t be prouder of our partnership. The number of full trains, even at mid-week on the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago corridor, is leading Amtrak and our state partners to look at how we can add capacity,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris, who added that Amtrak ridership nationwide is on trend to set a record this year. 

“Reaching 100,000 passengers in less than six months is a testament to the good things that can happen when we provide a service that is needed,” said Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “We are very excited to reach this milestone and look forward to strengthening our partnerships with communities, as well as federal, state and local governments, and Amtrak to continue providing a safe, reliable and sustainable transportation option.” 

To celebrate the milestone, customers were given complimentary refreshments and commemorative certificates entitling every passenger to 500 bonus Amtrak Guest Rewards points. As a fun addition, each passenger received a “100-Grand” candy bar as a snack or a keepsake, courtesy of Amtrak. 

 “We are excited to celebrate this significant milestone with our partners today,” said Wisconsin Transportation Sec. Kristina Boardman. “Strong ridership from day one demonstrates the interest in passenger rail in Wisconsin and is a product of the partnership between Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Amtrak to provide this service to riders. We will continue to work with our federal and state partners to explore additional passenger rail opportunities.” 

Illinois Transportation Sec. Omer Osman added, “Illinois is proud to be a partner with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Amtrak in providing the Borealis service. Reaching the 100,000-passenger milestone so soon after service began demonstrates the appetite and importance with the public to better connect our cities and offer multiple modes of transportation to get where they need to go.” 

Borealis trains originate from St. Paul at midday and Chicago in the late morning with Amtrak everyday discounts for children ages two to12, students, seniors, veterans, military personnel and families, groups and others. The trains offer coach and business class in addition to a café car featuring regional items.