Mobile, AL
Former Mobile station in September 1974
General information
Location101 South Water Street[1]
Mobile, Alabama
Coordinates30°41′24″N 88°02′17″W / 30.690°N 88.038°W / 30.690; -88.038
Line(s)CSX NO&M Subdivision[2]
Other information
StatusUnder construction
Station codeMOE
History
OpenedApril 29, 1984 (Amtrak)
October 29, 1989[3]
ClosedApril 30, 1971 (L&N)[3]
January 6, 1985 (Amtrak)
August 28, 2005[4]
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Pascagoula
toward Los Angeles
 Sunset Limited
(1993–2005)
 Atmore
toward Orlando or Miami
Pascagoula
toward New Orleans
 Gulf Coast Limited
(1985–1986, 1996–1997)
 Terminus
Terminus Gulf Breeze
(1989–1995)
 Atmore
toward Birmingham
Preceding station Louisville and Nashville Railroad Following station
Choctaw
toward New Orleans
 Main Line Hurricane
toward Cincinnati
Future services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Pascagoula
toward New Orleans
 Mardi Gras Service Terminus
Location
Map

Mobile station is an under construction open platform train station in Mobile, Alabama. It replaces the 1956 building that was opened by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) and demolished in 2007. Service will return to Mobile with the establishment of the Mardi Gras Service between New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile on August 18, 2025.[5]

History

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The Sunset Limited at the station in 1993

Train service to Mobile begin in 1881[6] when the L&N opened its original station at 11 Government Street in Mobile. In 1956 the L&N constructed a new building on the same site.

Louisville & Nashville 1954 timetable, showing five westbound trains from Mobile station

Former Louisville & Nashville services which utilized the station included the Pan-American (discontinued, 1971) and Humming Bird (discontinued, 1969).[7] Through an agreement between the two rail companies, until 1970, the Southern Railway operated the Crescent through Mobile.[8][9] Until 1971, the L&N operated the New Orleans–Jacksonville, Florida Gulf Wind through the station in cooperation with the Seaboard Coast Line (prior to 1967, Seaboard Air Line). In previous years the company additionally operated the New Orleans-Florida Limited, replete with diner and sleeper service, that made the trip during daylight hours in Florida for most of the route.[10][11][12][13]

Amtrak service began with the Gulf Coast Limited, which operated between 1984 and 1985 and called at the station.[14][15] Mobile then served as the southern terminus of the Gulf Breeze train starting in 1989. The Sunset Limited began stopping here in 1993, and the Gulf Breeze was discontinued in 1995.[16][17] In 2005, Hurricane Katrina flooded the station and Amtrak discontinued the Sunset Limited east of New Orleans. In 2006, CSX sold the property to a developer, who razed the station in 2007.

Proposed restoration of service

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Amtrak announced in 2016 that plans for a return of the Sunset Limited were under consideration. By 2021, Amtrak announced the possibility of restarting service to Mobile as a restoration of the Gulf Coast Limited. Resumption of service would require the construction new platforms and an overnight yard at the site.[18] As of February 2024, there remained unresolved issues between Amtrak and Mobile over cost sharing and possible interference with port operations.[19] However, on May 6, Mobile's Board of Zoning Adjustment approved a zoning exception that allows Amtrak to construct a temporary station near the site of the former station.[20][21]

In June 2024, service restoration took a significant step forward when the city, state, and Port Authority reached a tentative agreement to fund the service for three years. The Port Authority reversed its earlier opposition because a federal grant of $70M for infrastructure improvements would benefit the port.[22] In August the Mobile city council approved the operating subsidy.[23] As of May 2025 a pocket track and a platform were under construction[24] and service is anticipated to start on August 18, 2025.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Amtrak Stations - Mobile, Alabama". AMTRAK.com. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  2. ^ CSX Atlanta Division Timetable
  3. ^ a b "All Aboard". The Alabama Journal. Montgomery, Alabama. October 30, 1989. p. 1. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Trains". The Tallahassee Democrat. August 29, 2005. p. 2. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Amtrak to launch 'Mardi Gras Service' on Aug. 18". Trains.com. Firecrown Media. July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  6. ^ "History of the L&N Railroad". LNRR.org. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  7. ^ Louisville and Nashville timetable (PDF). December 18, 1965. Tables A, C, D, F
  8. ^ "Southern Railway, Tables A, C". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (5). National Railway Publication Company. October 1969.
  9. ^ "Southern Railway, Tables A, 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1970.
  10. ^ Seaboard Air Line Railroad timetable. June 15, 1948. Table 8.
  11. ^ 'Official Guide of the Railways,' June 1961, Louisville & Nashville section, Table F
  12. ^ Edmonson, Harold A. (1972). Journey to Amtrak. Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 102–104. ISBN 978-0890240236.
  13. ^ "Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak" (PDF). Trains. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2021.
  14. ^ Stennis, Todd. "History". Southern High-Speed Rail Commission. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  15. ^ "'Gulf Coast Limited' operation extended". Hattiesburg American. September 16, 1984. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Amtrak Timetable - Effective October 30, 1994". timetables.org. Amtrak. April 2, 1995. p. 17. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  17. ^ "Amtrak Timetable - Effective April 2, 1995". timetables.org. Amtrak. April 2, 1995. p. 23. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  18. ^ Kirby, Brendan (August 3, 2023). "Mississippi cities ready with Amtrak platforms, while key details remain unresolved in Mobile". Fox 10 News. WALA. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Lassen, David (February 2, 2024). "Amtrak, railroads ask STB to cancel hearing on status of Gulf Coast agreement". Trains.com. Kalmbach Media. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  20. ^ "Mobile, Ala., board approves zoning exception for Amtrak stop". Trains. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  21. ^ Luczak, Marybeth (May 6–7, 2024). "Filed: New Status Report on Amtrak Gulf Coast Service (UPDATED, 5/7)". Railway Age. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  22. ^ "Alabama port authority votes to help fund Amtrak service". Trains.com. Kalmbach Media. June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  23. ^ Noble, Noah (August 6, 2024). "Amtrak clears major hurdle to bring back Gulf Coast passenger rail service". WLOX.com. Biloxi, Mississippi: Gray Local Media. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  24. ^ "Start of Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service sees further delay". Trains.com. Firecrown Media. May 29, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
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