Amtrak Flag Stop Strengthens Marks, Quitman County Rail Connectivity
Marks station opened in May 2018 after more than two decades of local effort, creating a scheduled passenger rail stop on Amtrak’s City of New Orleans line. Funded at roughly $1.2 to $1.3 million with a $500,000 Federal Highway Administration grant administered through the Mississippi Department of Transportation plus local matches and Delta Regional Authority support, the station has become an economic and transportation asset for Quitman County.
The Marks station, formally known as the Northwest Mississippi Regional Station, began service in May 2018 and remains a flag stop on Amtrak’s City of New Orleans line. The project capped more than two decades of advocacy by community leaders and elected officials and required an investment of roughly $1.2 to $1.3 million. Funding included a $500,000 Federal Highway Administration grant administered through the Mississippi Department of Transportation, combined with local matching funds and support from the Delta Regional Authority.
Local leaders at the time framed the station as both an economic development tool and a public safety improvement. Officials cited improved access for visitors to the Delta’s cultural sites and the Mississippi Blues Trail, safer travel options for students, and expanded connectivity for residents without reliable car access. The station’s ribbon cutting and inaugural stop in May 2018 drew attention from regional press and national rail organizations, underscoring its role as a new gateway to Marks and Quitman County.
For residents the station provides a tangible transportation link to larger cities along the City of New Orleans corridor. As a flag stop it offers scheduled service that can be used to bring tourists directly into the county, which supports local businesses and cultural attractions. The investment also demonstrates how federal grant programs, state administration, and regional development authorities can combine to finance small scale infrastructure in economically challenged rural areas.
Policy implications from the Marks experience are clear for other rural communities seeking improved mobility. The project illustrates a financing model that mixes federal grants, state coordination, and local commitment to leverage a modest capital outlay into ongoing connectivity and tourism potential. Nearly eight years after opening the station continues to serve as a local transportation asset and visitor gateway, reinforcing long term efforts to link Quitman County more directly to regional rail networks and the economic opportunities they can bring.
