Passenger rail service coming to Atmore?

Atmore resident Jerry Gehman said he's optimistic that daily passenger rail service between New Orleans and Atmore will happen in the wake of a recently-passed federal government spending bill that contains money and grants to restore passenger rail service.

Gehman, who serves on the Southern Rail Commission, said while he hopes the plan will eventually provide passenger rail service from New Orleans to Orlando and possibly north, he said the first step will be to get the service from New Orleans to Mobile and then to Atmore.

Part of the spending bill includes $20 million in grants to restore...