Amtrak Mardi Gras Line: The Inaugural Run
August 2025The new Mardi Gras line between New Orleans and Mobile was thirty years in the making, so every city on the route celebrated the inaugural run on August 16th - starting in the Crescent City.
- photos by Ellis Anderson
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Passengers started arriving pre-dawn at the Union Passenger Terminal
Passengers started arriving pre-dawn at the Union Passenger Terminal
Senator Roger Wicker, who has worked on getting the rail service established for years, addressed the crowd in New Orleans, praising the bipartisanship that made it happen. He noted that Republicans, Democrats and Independents had made it happen. “This is what America ought to be like!” he declared to rousing applause.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker and wife Gayle second-lining to board the inaugural train.
LA Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and wife Jean, boarding the train in New Orleans
long-term member of the Southern Rail Commission , Kay Kell. Kell has been working toward this day for nearly thirty years.
Knox Ross, head of the Southern Rail Commission, boarding the train he’s been working for for more than a decade.
Amtrak crew members for the inaugural run were also celebrating
Sound on: Boarding of the inaugural train to music from the brass band.
The trains are electric and the engines are actually giant generators
Our engineer for the journey to Mobile
New Orleans authors, editors and producers Errol and Peggy Laborde
The train passing Chef Menteur Pass
The train’s top speed is 79 miles per hour, approximately what it was traveling when this photo was taken from a window. We were quite surprised that a dragonfly photobombed the shot.
Tish Williams, director of the Hancock Chamber of Commerce, ready for the ribbon cutting in Bay St. Louis, the first stop.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker cuts the ribbon at the BSL Depot
Old Town shop owner Janice Guido (right) and friend were jubilant.
Author Valerie Hart dressed to greet the train.
The lobby of the Bay St. Louis depot is home to a small Mardi Gras museum. The depot is also home to the Alice Moseley Museum (upstairs). Both offer free admission.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker making remarks in Bay St. Louis.
Bay St. Louis resident and long-time member of the Southern Rail Commission makes remarks in Bay St. Louis
Many well-wishers brought children and grandchildren for the historic day
Knox Ross makes a toast with the crowd at Bay St. Louis
Bay St. Louis Mardi Gras royalty came out to greet the train
Greeters arrived in all manner of vehicles
Several canine companions came to greet the train.
Several canine companions came to greet the train.
Hancock Chamber director Tish Williams and publisher of the Shoofly Magazine, Wendy McDonald, boarded the train in BSL.
Bay St. Louis artist Steve Barney made commemorative keepsakes for the occasion
While the train rolls between Bay St. Louis and Biloxi, WWL Radio’s Ian Hoch interviews Knox Ross, head of the Southern Rail Commission
Senator Wicker greets a well-wisher in Gulfport
The Four Bay St. Louis queens - long-time advocates for passenger rail travel: Shoofly Magazine publisher Wendy McDonald, former president of Coastal MS Tourism Nikki Moon, Southern Rail Commissioner Kay Kell and Bay St. Louis Councilperson Nancy Moynan
An enthusiastic crowd of hundreds greeted the train in Gulfport.
Gayle Wicker with greeter in Biloxi
Biloxi band greeters
The Ole Biloxi Marching Club was on hand to greet the train.
Boat greeters on Biloxi’s Back Bay
The Mardi Gras Line doesn’t stop in Ocean Springs, yet people came out to cheer it on.
Pascagoula River
Enthusiastic greeters in Pascagoula
The Goula gals were on hand to greet the train
Members of the Pascagoula High School Marching Band
These greeters reminded train travelers that Pascagoula was the birthplace of Jimmy Buffet
The train platform in Mobile is conveniently downtown, between the Convention Center and the National Maritime Museum of the Coast. many restaurants, hotels and attractions are an easy walk away.
Crewmates from the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial met the train in Mobile
The Excelsior Brass Band played for train travelers arriving in Mobile
Inside the Mobile Convention Center
Dave Clark, President and CEO of Visit Mobile MC’d the luncheon the city of Mobile hosted in the Convention Center.
Dave Clark, President and CEO of Visit Mobile MC’d the luncheon the city of Mobile hosted in the Convention Center.
Members of Mobile’s Mardi Gras royalty were on hand to help celebrate the event.
Congressmen Rick Larsen (Washington) and Shumari Figures (Alabama) were on hand to make comments to Amtrak celebrants and riders. Larsen is Ranking Member of the US. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The inaugural train, ready for the afternoon return to New Orleans. Behind it is the @National Maritime Museum of the Gulf and the Mobile cruise ship terminal.
Coming into BSL, passing the harbor, through a rain-spattered window.
Coming across the Bay of St. Louis, heading to the BSL Depot. Drone video by Prima Luke
Grand Plain Bayou, between Bay St. Louis and New Orleans
Marshlands between Lake Catherine and Lake Borgne
Looking out at Lake Borgne, south of Slidell
Our engineer for the ride from Mobile to New Orleans
The skyline of New Orleans as seen from the Union Passenger Terminal
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