Mobile station (Amtrak)

Mobile, AL
Mobile station in September 1974
General information
Location11 Government Street
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[1]
Other information
StatusClosed
Station codeMOE
History
OpenedApril 29, 1984 (Amtrak)
October 29, 1989[2]
ClosedApril 30, 1971 (L&N)[2]
January 6, 1985 (Amtrak)
August 28, 2005[3]
Rebuilt1956
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Pascagoula Sunset Limited
(1993–2005)
Atmore
toward Orlando or Miami
Pascagoula 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 Main Line Hurricane
toward Cincinnati
Future services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Pascagoula Gulf Coast Terminus

Mobile station was a train station in Mobile, Alabama. It was built in 1956 and demolished in 2007.

History

The Sunset Limited at the station in 1993

Built in 1956 by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, it replaced an earlier station 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).[4] Through an agreement between the two rail companies, until 1970, the Southern Railway operated the Crescent through Mobile.[5][6] Until 1971, the L&N operated the New OrleansJacksonville, 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.[7][8][9][10]

Amtrak service began with the Gulf Coast Limited, which operated between 1984 and 1985 and called at the station.[11][12] 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.[13][14] 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. The site plan provides for a future station nearby. 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. Amtrak plans to construct new platforms and an overnight yard at the site.[15] As of February 2024 unresolved issues remained between Amtrak and Mobile over cost sharing, possible interference with port operations, and sufficient support from the City Council.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ CSX Atlanta Division Timetable
  2. ^ a b "All Aboard". The Alabama Journal. Montgomery, Alabama. October 30, 1989. p. 1. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Trains". The Tallahassee Democrat. August 29, 2005. p. 2. Retrieved November 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Louisville and Nashville timetable (PDF). December 18, 1965. Tables A, C, D, F
  5. ^ "Southern Railway, Tables A, C". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (5). National Railway Publication Company. October 1969.
  6. ^ "Southern Railway, Tables A, 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1970.
  7. ^ Seaboard Air Line Railroad timetable. June 15, 1948. Table 8.
  8. ^ 'Official Guide of the Railways,' June 1961, Louisville & Nashville section, Table F
  9. ^ Edmonson, Harold A. (1972). Journey to Amtrak. Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 102–104. ISBN 978-0890240236.
  10. ^ "Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak" (PDF). Trains. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2021.
  11. ^ Stennis, Todd. "History". Southern High-Speed Rail Commission. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "'Gulf Coast Limited' operation extended". Hattiesburg American. September 16, 1984. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ "Amtrak Timetable - Effective October 30, 1994". timetables.org. Amtrak. April 2, 1995. p. 17. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  14. ^ "Amtrak Timetable - Effective April 2, 1995". timetables.org. Amtrak. April 2, 1995. p. 23. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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.

External links

  • Mobile, AL – Amtrak
  • Mobile, AL – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
  • Mobile Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)


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