Amtrak Mardi Gras Service nears 100,000th customer

Amtrak Mardi Gras Service is nearing another milestone less than a year after its launch. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

On the morning eastbound trip next Tuesday, Amtrak plans to welcome the service’s 100-thousandth customer. Celebrations are scheduled at stations in both Mobile and New Orleans.

That moment is set to arrive well before the route’s first anniversary. The service is still about three months short of completing its first year. Amtrak began running the route between Mobile and New Orleans last August. Since then, the “MGS” has already moved far beyond initial expectations.

By January 31st of this year, the service had already carried 70 thousand 400 passengers. That figure was reported by NBC 15 News.

Amtrak Mardi Gras Service nears another milestone

The line continues to draw both first-time passengers and returning travelers. A crowd gathered in Mobile on a Thursday afternoon. They were boarding the train for New Orleans. Some were just beginning the trip. Others were making the return journey.

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Among them were Dawn Morgan and her husband Doug from Robertsdale. For Dawn, part of the appeal was simply the chance to ride a train. She also liked making the journey without having to drive. ‘First of all, just riding a train, because it’s just kind of something that we don’t get to do very often,” says Dawn, “and then being able to go from here over towards New Orleans and back and not have to drive ourselves, just be able to relax. We’re looking forward to that.’

Repeat passengers are also helping drive ridership on the Mobile to New Orleans train service. A youth group from Bogalusa, Louisiana, was making the return trip to New Orleans. Dana Walker said the route was affordable and easy to fit into a single day. “Well, it’s an opportunity to get out of Louisiana and experience something different,” says Dana Walker, “and you can do a round trip in one day. So, you can’t beat that. And plus, it’s very reasonable. So, it’s not expensive.

And she plans to bring others.

“And we also plan on bringing our older kids, because this is our junior high kids, upper elementary junior high kids. So, we’re going to bring our high school kids within the next month right after school. And we’re also going to bring a dope group this summer. Yes. So, we plan on coming back twice.”

“You’re going to keep the tracks hot.”

“Yes, we’re going to keep the tracks hot.”

Ridership growth and revenue on the Gulf Coast passenger rail route

The numbers point in the same direction. During that period, ticket sales generated $2.4 million. Food and beverage purchases on board added another $326,700.

The service is also bringing spending beyond the train itself. After arriving, passengers are visiting museums, eating at restaurants and spending at local shops. Rodney Joseph of Baton Rouge was in Mobile with his wife on Friday morning. They had taken the train from New Orleans. He said they had already stopped at several places in the city. “We went to a good burger place and to the museum with the ships there,” Rodney Joseph said. He pointed to the nearby Gulf Quest Museum.

His wife, Shadrika, said the trip began as a birthday surprise. “I just thought it was something different,” said his wife, Shadrika. “Every year I try to do something different for his birthday, so I looked it up and it was a decent price, so I said, we’re going to take a train ride.”

Mobile and New Orleans prepare for the 100-thousandth customer

The Josephs said they hope Amtrak will eventually extend service in their direction as well. That idea is now under consideration.

For now, the Gulf Coast passenger rail route continues to build a larger following. Travelers are choosing rail over driving between Mobile and New Orleans. City leaders in both places, along with Amtrak, plan to mark the 100-thousandth rider Tuesday morning. Passengers will receive a certificate and a memento from the passenger rail line.

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