The Illinois Central Gulf railroad did not operate passenger trains through Marks Mississippi before Amtrak, so there was no station here.
The development for the Marks train station is a culmination of two decades of work by civic leaders in Quitman County, Mississippi.[3] Initially, $79,500 in funds from the City of Marks and Quitman County were used to construct a platform with wheelchair access and a glass and steel "Amshack" structure.[4][5] County leaders had hoped the train stops would commence in September 1999.[4] In 2010, Mississippi SenatorRoger Wicker met with Canadian National Railway (CN) officials to negotiate a flag-stop in Marks.[6] Senator Wicker announced in 2015 that an agreement had been reached by Quitman County, Amtrak, and Canadian National to establish a permanent stop in Marks.[7] To construct the $1.2 million station, a number of grants were awarded. A $500,000 grant was allocated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) via the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), a 20% matching grant from Mississippi Development Authority that was worth $150,000, and a $300,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority.[1] Groundbreaking for the station occurred in October 2016.[3] The station's ribbon cutting and maiden stop took place on May 4, 2018.[1][8]
