Geaux New Orleans-Baton Rouge Rail

10/01/2026

Same location, nearly 50 years apart.
Siegen Lane is now a 4-lane overpass above the now CPKC New Orleans Subdivision (Kansas City Southern back in 1977). This railroad would be the route of extended Amtrak Mardi Gras service to Baton Rouge.

08/28/2026

In honor of the late Tim Curry, here’s a Don’t Dream It, Be It concept looking at a rending of the Oklahoma City regional rail service and the CPKC main line overpass of Bluebonnet Blvd here in Baton Rouge. Envision a train like the first image crossing the bridge in the second, traveling above the traffic between Baton Route & New Orleans…😴🚆🛤️⚜️

08/26/2026

While this piece is largely focused on freight operations in New Orleans, those operations have significant impacts to all Amtrak service in NOLA, including the 4 daily Mardi Gras movements & potential expansion to Baton Rouge.
https://www.railwayage.com/freight/switching-terminal/who-dispatches-the-back-belt/?RAchannel=news

08/18/2026

One year ago today, Amtrak’s Mardi Gras service launched between New Orleans & Mobile. My photos from the first westbound trip from Mobile are below.

Projections estimated first year ridership at 71,000 (about 194 daily riders). Actual riders over its first year totaled more than 150,000 (about 410 daily riders). Let’s extend this train to Baton Rouge!

(Map by on X/Twitter)

08/12/2026

If you use a little Actual Intelligence, you can transpose the scene captured by Dave Blaze Rail Photography on the left of the Amtrak Downeaster station to the planned site of the Baton Rouge Amtrak station in Mid-City, with a new station track & platform added in the grassy area in the right photo and a new connection to the existing CPKC New Orleans Subdivision. This would allow Amtrak trains to layover in Baton Rouge without blocking CPKC traffic. It would likely be a high-level platform, too, allowing for easier boarding and existing for all passengers, since it would be separate of active freight traffic. The overpass in the background is the North Ave. bridge for context.

07/30/2026

John Spain, the former WBRZ Channel 2 Station Manager and Executive Vice President of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, is retiring from the Southern Rail Commission. Much of the success of the launch of Amtrak's Mardi Gras service is the result of his leadership. We applaud all of his efforts, and those specifically to restore Baton Rouge-New Orleans passenger rail service, as well.

Retiring Southern Rail Commission (SRC) member John Spain was instrumental in transforming the commission and focusing its efforts on restoring passenger rail in the Gulf Coast. Among many other things, his legacy is the year-old Mardi Gras line serving tens of thousands of people. T4America Senior....

06/26/2026

Why do passenger rail projects take so long to implement? This video looks at 3 factors:
•Private freight rail ownership of most rail lines
•Political will & funding limitations
•Institutional capacity

Amtrak has broken all-time annual ridership records for two years i...

06/24/2026

These CPKC grade crossing improvements in Mid-City Baton Rouge, while not directly related the BR-NOLA passenger rail project, will improve safety & reliability on the corridor, particularly those at Wisteria St, South Blvd and Terrace Ave, which are south of the planned Baton Rouge station location en route to New Orleans.
https://www.louisianafirstnews.com/news/railroad-crossing-safety-upgrades-proposed-for-five-baton-rouge-streets/?fbclid=IwdGRleASoncFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEenftyNPvOCSWpiMqMqP5mzeMxCf3R-i8rCYqZ0-roScDfVKulJ3vKCM_I7bo_aem_xVwMSdrhnp45WP5S03yZlw

A proposed transportation project could bring safety upgrades to five Kansas City Southern railroad crossings in Baton Rouge and change a portion of 15th Street into a one-way road.

04/16/2026

We have an early look of the interior for new railcars being built for the new metro route serving the LSU campus here in Baton Rouge…🟡🟣🐯😉 j/k
(Actually produced for the Chongming Line of Shanghai's metropolitan rail transit network by CRRC)

04/01/2026

Yesterday, the South Shore Line opened its new Monon Corridor branch between Hammond & Dyer, Indiana.

Imagine the Dyer station (left, photo by First & Fastest) imposed over the Baton Rouge Mid-City station location in the 2nd photo, with respective freight trackage to the right in both scenes.

A high-level platform would make for easier and faster boarding + unloading in BR for all riders, and may be required by law as a new station off freight network tracks. We just need the EBR Council to get to work!🛤️🚊🚉