The rail operator functions on state and federal subsidies. The latest Amtrak project map, which showcases the Northeast Corridor, highlights a wide range of upgrades, including new tunnels ...

But the Amtrak network is only a fraction as large as the U.S. passenger rail system at its height, when the map of cross-country lines looked like a diagram of the human circulatory system.

“Our goal is to have some of that festive Mardi Gras feeling on every trip, sharing the culture of the Gulf Coast region while connecting with the rest of the Amtrak network,” Amtrak president ...