UPDATE 10:00 AM: In an email response to News 5, Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said the start/stop of the first Amtrak train was due to “freight train interference.” Magliari also sent his comment to the CSX media team, and we’re waiting on a response from them as well.
UPDATE 7:03 AM: Amtrak’s Mardi Gras line is on its way to New Orleans but not without some hiccups on the first day. The train started moving right on time at 6:30, but the cars barely cleared the platform before they came to a full stop.
The train waited for a freight train to pass in the opposite direction and resumed travel after about 15 minutes. First day issues notwithstanding, people gathered well before dawn to get aboard.
“I watch a lot of Amtrak videos on YouTube, and this is the closest Amtrak that I’ve been to in 18 years. So why not?” said Harold Arnold from Pensacola. He said he was going to do one day round trip and return to Mobile late tonight. Others came from even farther away. Young YouTuber Evan Mueller travelled with his mom from Tampa yesterday to ride the train this morning…