U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has commented on the resumption of Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service, which now provides full passenger rail service through Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. The line had been out of operation since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“At last, passenger rail has returned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina shuttered the line that carried tourists and travelers along our shore. Today, after 20 years of effort, that changes. The Mardi Gras Service is one of the final pieces of the recovery puzzle from Hurricane Katrina. In the Senate, I spent nearly ten years securing federal investment, continuing conversations with stakeholders, and pressing Transportation Secretary nominees and federal rail officials about their commitment to Gulf Coast rail. Serving as the lead Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee helped me to advocate effectively for Gulf Coast rail. Reconnecting the Gulf Coast to the nationwide passenger rail network will not only turn a page on Hurricane Katrina, but will expand opportunity in our state for years to come,” said Wicker.
The process to restore this service included several legislative and funding milestones over two decades. In his first Senate speech in 2008, Wicker highlighted rebuilding the Gulf Coast as Mississippi’s top priority following Hurricane Katrina. As leader of the Senate Commerce Committee in 2015, he played a key role in passing the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act—the first time passenger rail funding was included in such legislation.
Wicker also influenced Congress to establish the Gulf Coast Working Group under this act for a Federal Railroad Administration study on reintroducing passenger service in the region. In 2016, he participated in an inspection trip marking the first passenger train run since Katrina.
Recognition came when Wicker received the “Golden Spike” award from the National Association of Railroad Passengers for his efforts supporting passenger rail initiatives within bipartisan legislation.
In subsequent years, federal investments supported by Wicker furthered progress toward restoring service. The Southern Rail Commission received $42.8 million in federal funds in 2019 to support groundwork for what would become Mardi Gras Service.
Wicker continued advocacy by urging restoration of service between New Orleans and Mobile before transportation authorities and testifying before regulatory boards about economic benefits for cities along Mississippi’s coast.
Additional funding was secured through programs like Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements: $178.4 million was announced by Wicker in 2023 for construction needs along key sections including Mobile; this replaced an earlier $33 million award.
Most recently, a $21 million grant from the Federal Rail Administration was awarded with his support to cover operating costs as Amtrak services resumed on August 16, 2025.
