North Carolina Passenger Rail Planning

The Rail Division is undertaking a variety of initiatives to improve and extend the existing passenger rail network. The Rail Division will make improvements to equipment and infrastructure that will improve passenger service trip times between Charlotte and Raleigh. An environmental and citizen's participation process will begin this spring to study implementing high-speed service over this same corridor, as well as north to Virginia. The 1998 Session of the General Assembly authorized the NCDOT to plan and implement new passenger service to western North Carolina. The Rail Division is also studying other potential service extensions throughout the state and evaluating the potential for commuter services in support of efforts of major metropolitan areas to address growing congestion.

Existing Passenger Rail Corridors (gray lines)

 Twelve passenger trains serve 16 North Carolina cities daily along six routes. The Carolinian operates between Charlotte, Washington and New York City; the Silver Star operates between New York and Miami with stops in Raleigh and Southern Pines; the Silver Meteor and Silver Palm operate between New York and Miami with stops in Rocky Mount and Fayetteville; the Crescent runs between New York and New Orleans with stops in Greensboro and Charlotte and the Piedmont runs instate between Raleigh and Charlotte. The Piedmont and Carolinian are supported by the State of North Carolina. All the trains are operated by Amtrak.

 The state plans to enhance service time on the Piedmont between Raleigh and Charlotte reducing the current trip time of 3:45 to 2:50 with improvements that will include signal upgrades, crossing improvements, addition of double-track and minor straightening of some curves. Safety improvements at highway-rail crossings are being made under the Sealed Corridor program.

 Proposed Commuter Rail (dotted red lines)

 As urban populations continue to grow, the need increases for commuter rail in major metropolitan areas. Several regions - the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill (or Triangle) area, the Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem, Burlington (or Triad) area and the greater Charlotte/Mecklenburg (or Metrolina) County area-- are now considering commuter rail service.

 The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation, formed in 1998, has begun studying transportation options to enhance mobility in the Piedmont Triad area. The City of Charlotte has studied transit options for the area's commuter population and in November 1998 voters approved a ½ cent sales tax to support transit.

 The proposed commuter rail corridors (dotted red lines) primarily use existing rail lines which often run parallel to congested highway corridors and are outside of the jurisdiction of the regional efforts. The NCDOT Rail Division has prepared a preliminary report on commuter corridors and proposes to study the feasibility of establishing commuter services along these corridors.

 Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) Commuter Rail (solid red line)

 TTA is developing plans for the first phase of a regional rail system that will extend 38 miles from North Raleigh through Research Triangle Park and Cary to downtown Durham and the Duke Medical Center. The first phase is slated to open in 2004/5. Later phases of TTA's commuter rail system will include service to the Raleigh-Durham International airport and Chapel Hill.

Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor (solid blue lines)

 In 1992, the U.S. Department of Transportation designated five national high speed rail corridors across the country. The Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor - extending from Washington, D.C., Richmond, Raleigh to Charlotte-has been dubbed the most economically viable high speed rail corridor in the country. In December 1998, USDOT extended the corridor south from Charlotte through Greenville, Spartanburg, to Atlanta and Macon, and from Raleigh south through Columbia and Savannah to Jacksonville.

 Higher speed rail service in the Southeast corridor will mean average top speeds of 90+ mph between Raleigh and Charlotte and 110+ mph between Raleigh and Richmond.

 In 1999, the NCDOT Rail Division will initiate an environmental study and citizens participation meetings in both North Carolina and Virginia for the Southeast High-Speed Corridor from Washington to Charlotte.

 Preliminary studies prepared on the Southeast High-Speed Corridor from Washington to Charlotte are summarized in the Piedmont High-Speed Corridor Status Report.

 North Carolina is the lead state in working with the host railroads and other states to develop an interstate network of higher speed rail passenger services which will make connections from Florida to Maine. It is referred to as the Atlantic Coast Corridor or ACC.

 Regional Intrastate Passenger Service Extensions (solid green lines)

 At the request of the General Assembly, in 1995 the NCDOT Rail Division began studying extension of conventional passenger rail service to Western North Carolina. The General Assembly appropriated funds in 1998 to finalize plans for expansion, begin building or renovating stations, make infrastructure improvements and provide operating funds for the new service. The actual start date for this service will depend upon railroad lease negotiations with the host railroad, Norfolk Southern.

 Potential Passenger Rail Service Extensions

The NCDOT in 1999 will begin a feasibility study of extending conventional passenger rail service from Charlotte to Wilmington. Studies on other potential passenger rail corridors will be addressed at a future date.

 Passenger Rail Stations

 The Department of Transportation already has begun restoration or rehabilitation work on historic passenger stations in Salisbury, Wilson, Rocky Mount, Selma, High Point and Greensboro. In addition, the state has plans to improve or build new stations for several other cities along existing and planned passenger service routes. Salisbury, Wilson, Rocky Mount and High Point are proximate to or will incorporate transit services. Additional station improvements or rehabilitation of the existing station structures will be necessary for the service extension from Salisbury west to Statesville, Hickory, Marion, Morganton, Old Fort, Black Mountain and Asheville.