Why hasn’t the train already been restored?
One answer is a lack of money. The other is a lack of imagination and will on the part of Amtrak. Amtrak maintains that, before service resumes, the stations have to be fully repaired and made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and that the cost of these projects, plus hiring and training the necessary crews, is prohibitive in relation to the revenue it would generate. However, the condition of the stations did not stop service to New Orleans on other routes from being restored as soon as the track was repaired. Amtrak management has always held a dim view of Gulf Coast service.
