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Gulf Coast train route: Amtrak heads to mediation

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Gulf Coast train route: Amtrak heads to mediation with access to new traffic data 

A federal board has ruled freight rail company CSX must share previously unseen traffic data with Amtrak as the two move toward mediation over the future of the proposed Gulf Coast train route. 

The Surface Transportation Board’s ruling came Friday and calls for CSX to grant Amtrak access to materials the freight company had designated as “highly confidential.” Amtrak needs that information to create traffic studies to show the impacts a proposed passenger train could have on the route. 

The board is asking all parties – including Amtrak and CSX – to file traffic studies as evidence and ordered them to meet with a mediator. 

“All parties should have the opportunity to fully respond to the evidentiary issues raised at the hearing,” said Chairman Martin J. Oberman. “It is also the Board’s intent to have a full and complete record in such an important matter that affects the public interest.”

The board decided Amtrak was at a disadvantage to produce meaningful traffic studies without the once-protected freight train data. The new traffic reports need to be filed with the board by July 13. 

Amtrak has been pushing for a Gulf Coast train route that will connect Mobile to New Orleans with four stops in Mississippi for years. Amtrak stopped running through Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. Last March, it filed a complaint with the Surface Transportation Board over the route, accusing freight companies of stalling any meaningful negotiations. 

Freight company officials say Mississippi’s railway corridor is congested and Amtrak is over simplifying obstacles. CSX officials also said that the repairs and updates needed to accommodate passenger trains will cost taxpayers upwards of $400 million.

“Amtrak appreciates the Board’s continued efforts to instill transparency into this process and will work to meet the board’s new deadline,” said spokesperson Marc Magliari. “We will also work with the mediator the Board appoints and continue our preparations for beginning this service along the Gulf Coast as soon as possible.”

The board says the mediation period will be no more than 30 days, beginning on the date of the first session. 

The mediation order comes after weeks of public hearings.

READ MORE: How the Gulf Coast train beef between Amtrak and CSX is intensifying

By law, Amtrak can run passenger trains on tracks owned by a freight company as long as it doesn’t “unreasonably impair” businesses. Whether the Amtrak route – which would run a morning and evening train – would be “unreasonable” was at the core of the public hearings and will be addressed by the traffic studies the board requested. 

“CSX appreciates the STB’s decision to order Board-sponsored mediation and looks forward to working with the appointed mediator and all parties towards a reasonable and amicable solution,” the company said in a statement. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State

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www.wjtv.com – The Associated Press – 2025-03-22 09:03:00

SUMMARY: Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found solace in returning to a different arena in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing previous tournament experience. The No. 5 seed Ole Miss Rebels redeemed themselves with an 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 points. Ole Miss dominated rebounding, leading 52-32, and will face fourth-seeded Baylor next. Coach McPhee-McCuin noted the team’s evolution since their last visit and the significance of playing in Texas, where Jacobs feels at home.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-03-21 08:59:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (March 21-23), Mississippi offers a range of exciting events. Highlights include Hal’s Marching MALfunction Second Line Stomp and Jessie Robinson’s blues performance in Jackson, as well as the Natchez Food & Wine Festival and the Natchez Little Theatre’s production of *This Side of Crazy*. There are also numerous exhibitions like *Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South* in Jackson and *Gold in the Hills* in Vicksburg. Other events include the 48th Annual Crawfish Classic Tennis Tournament in Hattiesburg, karaoke nights in Laurel, and a variety of family-friendly activities across the state.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-03-14 07:26:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (March 14-16) in Mississippi offers a variety of events. In Jackson, iconic saxophonist Boney James performs at the convention center, while the JXN Food & Wine festival showcases culinary talents. The LeFleur Museum District hosts a “Week of Wonder,” and several exhibitions, including “Of Salt and Spirit,” celebrate Black quilters. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage tours, a reenactment of Annie Stewart’s story, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In Hattiesburg, comedian Rob Schneider performs, and various events like a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and a talent show will take place throughout the area.

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