Amtrak Seeks Grant to Expand Rail Service by I-20

David C. Lester

TEXAS – Amtrak applies for a federal grant in the hopes of expanding service from Mississippi to Louisiana to Texas.

RT&S has reported on the recent federal grants that have granted cities across the U.S. the necessary funds to study and address grade crossings to reduce train-vehicle collisions. On the transit side, Amtrak has applied for a federal grant that would allow it to expand to “underserved areas like the ArkLaTex.”

Marc Magliari, a media relations spokesman for Amtrak, spoke with Red River Radio about the funds being “the highest amount . . . for passenger rail than the accumulative the federal government has appropriated to Amtrak in 52 years.”

Similar to the federal grants reported last week, the funds would come from the DOT and FRA and local officials “have really shown leadership here” with Magliari citing “the mayors of Shreveport and Bossier . . . working together on a station site,” as an example.

Magliari went on to say that if Amtrak is successful in receiving the funds, “the project study could optimistically take 18 to 24 months in determining things like potential passenger usage, rail-sharing access between freight and passenger rail service, as well as what costs will be involved in improving existing rail infrastructure.”