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NCDOT Announces Two Additional Mid-Day Passenger Trains Between Raleigh and Charlotte to Begin June 5.
Raleigh— State Transportation Secretary Gene Conti today announced that two additional trains providing mid-day service between Raleigh and Charlotte will begin on Saturday, June 5, increasing the state-sponsored passenger rail service to six trains operating daily between the state's two largest cities.
"As our population continues to grow, we must provide people with travel alternatives, " said Conti. "Train travel also provides environmental and energy benefits through reduced congestion and improved air quality."
Currently, the state sponsors four trains daily, the Piedmont and Carolinian, as North Carolina's Amtrak. Each train makes a morning and evening run between Raleigh and Charlotte, a trip that is auto competitive at 3 hours and 7 minutes, including intermediate stops at Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury and Kannapolis.
The new service will add two additional trains in the mid-day giving business travelers, families and college students more options to travel via rail. (See attached schedule.)
The Carolinian also provides daily service to Selma, Wilson, Rocky Mount, to Richmond, Virginia and to the northeast including Washington D.C. and New York City.
Federal Rail Administration Deputy Administrator Karen Rae will address the N.C. Board of Transportation at its meeting Wednesday, March 31 regarding the Obama Administration' s policy on transportation choices as a part of building more livable communities and sustainability.
Rae, Conti and Rail Director Patrick Simmons will be available for media interviews regarding the North Carolina's new mid-day train service between Raleigh and Charlotte; the $545 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds awarded to the state in February; and the FRA inspection of NCDOT rail equipment, facilities and capabilities from 2:45 p.m.- 3:15 p.m. via telephone by dialing 1-877-531-0014 and then access room# *8569289* and onsite in room 117 in the Transportation Building at 1 S. Wilmington St. To view the live Board of Transportation Web feed, visit http://wms.its. state.nc. us/dotlive.
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Anyone care to tell the Amtrak website?
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Seems like this news hasn't translated into a ticketable option at AMTK Central, huh?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Does anyone here have any suggestions for some possible names of these new trains? The names should reflect historical pride or regional features of the areas the trains will serve. For the new night train, how about the Moonshiner?Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Sorry but with the exception of 79 & 80 being the Carolinian, 73, 74, 75 & 76 will collectively be known as 'Piedmont' service trains.
The 'Moonshiner' might be appropriate should West Virginia or Eastern Kentucky get a new passenger train!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: The 'Moonshiner' might be appropriate should West Virginia or Eastern Kentucky get a new passenger train!
Hey, it's really NOT that bad up here!
The new service down in NC makes me wish I still lived in Salisbury. Really miss the sounds of the trains coming and going. Haven't seen a train (other than the coal hoppers) since I moved up here 4 years ago.
Signed,
Suffering from Amtrak withdrawals
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Thanks guys-- all in good fun; you both live in a fantastic part of the country. Someday I'd like to travel over the famous Blue Ridge Parkway by car or motorcycle and have a look. The new NC trains will be superb as well-- have an old high school friend in Hickory; I guess the closest Amtrak stop to him is probably Gastonia. Anyway- we're talking NASCAR country here, right David? And of course it was the 'Shine "runners" who souped up their nondescript Fords and Chevys- heavy-duty suspension, wild motors, etc. Nascar was thusly born. Look out-- it's "Katy bar the door" a load was on the way! Glad you're getting your new trains in 6/10...
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Geographically Gastonia would be the closest stop to Hickory BUT it's only an Amshack served only in the wee hours by the Crescent.
For a full service station near Hickory which serves the Crescent and these other NCDOT trains you would want to look at either Charlotte (about 20 some miles further than Gastonia) or Greensboro (another 30 miles further than Charlotte).
To my knowledge, there is no longer any intercity bus service to Hickory though Greyhound blows by on I-40 without stopping twice a day.
There is a NRHS Chapter in the Hickory area which does a couple of nice model train shows each year. Plenty of space and free parking....highly recommend.
As for the 'runners' and the origins of NASCAR you are absolutely correct. Two notes - as recently as the 1970's there was a youth league football team in the county where I live known as the Marshall Moonshiners.......and the classic 1950's movie 'Thunder Road' about how running 'shine was a family affair was filmed on old US 64 in the Lake Toxaway region of WNC.......about 45 minutes from where I work.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Bob, if you do make that Blue Ridge Parkway trip, allow a couple or three hours to visit Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC. Yes, it's a cheesy 1950's amusement park (which my daughter and I LOVE) but they operate two meticulously maintained narrow guage steam locomotives on their three mile 'adventure' train ride. Just a tip - It's usually not a good thing when a train stops in the middle of nowhere for no apparant reason!!!!!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Calling the guys who stage the Tweetsie train robbery aspiring actors might possibly be an insult to aspiring actors.......
But it's good clean fun sort of... the old blow up the outhouse with dynamite gag never gets old!!!!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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