Amtrak train tears cargo bed in half in Grand Bay crash

Amtrak sent the following statement to News 5:

On Sunday, April 26, Amtrak train No. 23 was traveling from Mobile, AL, to New Orleans at approximately 7:20 a.m. (CT) when a semi-trailer with an auto rack came into contact with the train on CSX tracks south of Mobile. There have been no reported injuries to the 48 passengers onboard, but several crew members were treated at the scene for injuries. Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident.

Customers have been provided with snack packs and water on board the train. Amtrak currently plans to return the train to Mobile later this morning, where customers may board alternate transportation to New Orleans.

Preventing incidents and fatalities on the railroad is a priority for Amtrak. According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America, and railroad-highway grade crossing incidents are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in America.

READ MORE : Amtrak train tears cargo bed in half in Grand Bay crash | WKRG.com

Mobile County insurance debate turns tense as commissioner questions timing of lower rates

MOBILE, Ala. (NBC 15) — A debate over skyrocketing insurance costs tied to Mobile County’s Government Plaza took a sharp turn this week, as Commissioner Randall Dueitt openly questioned whether taxpayers were getting the best deal.

During a county commission meeting on Thursday, Dueitt challenged the timing of a new, lower-cost insurance proposal from the county’s longtime provider Thames Batré —suggesting it only surfaced after a competing company presented a cheaper option.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Dueitt said, pointing to the sudden appearance of a revised proposal the same day a competitor pitched significant savings.

The exchange quickly grew tense, with Dueitt pressing the issue: would the county have seen those lower rates at all if it hadn’t begun shopping around?

The county’s current broker pushed back, calling the question hypothetical and saying changes in the insurance market in 2026 made new pricing and expanded coverage possible only in recent months .

But a competing firm, Hub International, told commissioners it was able to cut the county’s premium from nearly $5.8 million to about $3.7 million—while also improving coverage .

That proposal—and the incumbent broker’s competing revision—could mean more than $2 million in potential savings for the county.

Dueitt’s comments highlight a growing concern among some commissioners that the county may not have been aggressively re-evaluating its insurance costs in recent years.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” he reiterated, suggesting the new numbers may have only come to light because of increased scrutiny.

The issue is closely tied to the ongoing dispute between the City of Mobile and Mobile County over rent at Government Plaza. County leaders have cited soaring insurance costs as a key reason for a proposed rent increase of roughly 90 percent.

Negotiations between the City of Mobile and Mobile County over Government Plaza rent remain ongoing, with both sides signaling a willingness to keep talking even as tensions persist. The mayor has said the city is likely to move at least some departments out of Government Plaza if a deal can’t be reached.

Other commissioners acknowledged the discussion had become emotional but emphasized their focus remains on finding the best value for taxpayers.

The county has not yet made a final decision on which insurance proposal to accept, and negotiations over both the policy and the city’s lease are ongoing.

Mobile County insurance debate turns tense as commissioner questions timing of lower rates