‘Mardi Gras’ Is Exactly Right

by Jim Mathews/President & CEO

What’s in a name?

“Mardi Gras” is an identity, a philosophy, a way of celebrating a local culture that unites the entire U.S. Gulf Coast. And now, it’s also a train that unites the Gulf Coast.

I was thrilled to be on the inaugural run of Amtrak’s new Mardi Gras service between New Orleans and Mobile on Saturday. It’s the culmination of two decades of effort by quite literally hundreds of people – advocates, community leaders, elected officials, ourselves at Rail Passengers and our allies, all supporting the leadership of the Southern Rail Commission over the years to push through all the obstacles.

My very first work trip as your President & CEO – one month after I started – was to jump-start our Association’s efforts to support restoration of this service, cris-crossing counties in Mississippi and Alabama to press local officials about the importance of getting trains moving again through the region. And I rode a promotional “inspection train” in 2016 that was a kind of preview of my experience yesterday, rolling into each station to thunderous crowds, raucous second line bands, and communities putting on their Fat Tuesday Best to out-do one another in welcoming us, their train, to their town.

When the “Mardi Gras” name first leaked, a lot of the railfan community howled. Some thought it was silly, others thought it sent the “wrong message.” But replaying that 2016 inspection train experience yesterday, following the second line on to the train in New Orleans, shaking hands and sipping the champagne handed out by the locals in Bay St. Louis, Miss., talking with giddy revelers dressed in ever-more-outrageous costumes, and hearing all of them talk about what they planned to do on their own "first trips," it was abundantly clear: “Mardi Gras,” the name, was a stroke of marketing genius.

As a visible symbol of what this simple twice daily service will do for the served communities, it’s pitch-perfect. It captures exactly why this train will succeed. It was shared effort across Gulf Coast communities, to bring about a shared vision, to connect their shared culture. After riding the train both ways yesterday, I have no worries at all about whether the train will attract riders. It’s sold out for the next few weeks, and if you want the $15 fares you’ll have to book in advance.

The demand is strong, the joy is palpable, and the excitement is clear. These communities all fought for their train, and now they’re going to ride their train, and celebrate their shared culture. The name is perfect. Mardi Gras is more than a day or even a festival. It’s a way of life for those who tend to its legacy, and now they’ll have a train to celebrate as well.