Amtrak Expanding Service in Louisiana? Here’s the Plan

(KMDL-FM) Amtrak's rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, is a hit. The return of passenger rail service to the Gulf Coast was more than two decades in coming. But apparently, to travelers, the wait was worth it, and the Mardi Gras service, as the train is called, has proven to be quite popular.

READ MORE: How Much Does it Cost to Ride Amtrak Between NOLA and Mobile?

The service is so popular that during the peak of Mardi Gras season, the train added an extra car to meet demand. That success has gotten leaders in other parts of the state interested in bringing passenger rail service to points beyond New Orleans.

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What Is The Status of Passenger Rail Between NOLA and Baton Rouge?

There has already been discussion about adding rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. I think that would be a no-brainer, but as you might imagine, if it took 20 years to reestablish Gulf Coast service, it might take "a little while" to get that service up and running. But the wheels are in motion.

Recently, an entirely new option in passenger rail service for Louisiana was opened for discussion among Louisiana leaders and the Southern Rail Commission over the possibility of adding service from Meridian, Mississippi, through Jackson and Vicksburg into Louisiana with stops, perhaps, in Monroe, Ruston, and Shreveport.

The service that is being discussed would be an "offshoot" of the existing Crescent Amtrak Service. The Crescent is the Amtrak train that runs from New Orleans through Atlanta, up the Eastern Seaboard to New York City.

Where Would the I-20 Amtrak Service Come From and Where Would it Go?

The proposal suggests that Crescent "split" at Meridian. A portion of the train would continue to New Orleans or New York, and the other portion would head west through Mississippi and Louisiana, eventually terminating in Fort Worth, Texas.

These talks are in the early stages, and as you might imagine, there is a lot of negotiating that will need to take place before Amtrak can offer service over rails owned and operated by other carriers. There will also be considerations for new stations, just as there had to be for the Mardi Gras service.

By the way, here's what riding "the Mardi Gras" between NOLA and Mobile, Alabama, is like.

That certainly looks like a great ride. But, don't hold your breath waiting for passenger rail from Amtrak across Louisiana's I-20 corridor just yet.

Besides, if you took the train, you wouldn't be able to stop at the new Ruston Buc-ee's, which is supposed to open next year. And no, I don't think Amtrak will stop at Buc-ee's even if they do get the route approved.