The Carolinian is a daily passenger train that runs between Charlotte, North Carolina and New York City. The train began operation in 1990 and is jointly funded and operated by Amtrak and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. A previous iteration operated between 1984-1985. Onboard services include coach, business class, and a cafe car. The train operates over the Northeast Corridor between New York and Washington, D.C. The train continues to Charlotte. Intermediate stops in North Carolina include Rocky Mount, Wilson, Selma, Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, and Kannapolis.
During fiscal year 2013, the Carolinian carried over 317,550 passengers, a 3.6% increase over FY2012 (306,419 passengers) and a 3.4% increase over FY2011 (307,213 passengers). The line had a total revenue of $19,841,847 during FY2013, an increase of 6.4% over FY2012.
This route (in addition to its sister train, the Piedmont) is notable because it allows walk-up checked bicycle transportation at its station stops in North Carolina.
History
Amtrak first introduced the Carolinian on October 28, 1984, in partnership with the state of North Carolina. From Raleigh, The Carolinian ran north on the old Seaboard Railroad to Collier Yard south of Petersburg, Va and joining the present day route. The Carolinian and the Silver Star stopped at the former Seaboard station in Raleigh. Both trains stopped at Henderson, NC as well. The train began running the same route as the modern Carolinian from Charlotte to Richmond, Virginia, where it combined with the Palmetto for the journey to New York. North Carolina supported the Carolinian with a $436,000 yearly subsidy. It was the first direct Raleighâ€"Charlotte service in 30 years and the first North Carolina-specific service in 20 years. An early alternative name for the service was the Piedmont Palmetto. Amtrak discontinued the Carolinian on September 3, 1985, after North Carolina declined to renew its support for another year. Although ridership was higher than projected, revenues were not: most passengers traveled within North Carolina and did not continue to the Northeast. Supporters of the Carolinian blamed Amtrak and the state for not marketing the train properly.
Amtrak and North Carolina re-launched the Carolinian on May 12, 1990, although this time the Carolinian joined the Palmetto in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, south of Richmond. In April 1991 Amtrak stopped combining the Carolinian with the Palmetto; the train began running through to New York over the Northeast Corridor.
In 1995, the Carolinian was joined with a sister train, the Piedmont, which runs on the same route of this train between Raleigh and Charlotte. Until 2004, the Carolinian also had a stop at BWI Marshall Airport Rail Station.
In 2017, NCDOT began considering an extension of the Carolinian to New Haven, Connecticut. The extension would reduce or eliminate the need for NCDOT to fund the train and would provide an earlier southbound train from New Haven than currently operates.
Accidents and incidents
On March 9, 2015, a north bound Carolinian collided with a tractor-trailer that was stuck on the tracks in Halifax County, North Carolina, with 55 people injured.
Route details
The Carolinian operates over Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and North Carolina Railroad trackage:
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor, New York to Washington
- CSX RF&P Subdivision, Richmond Terminal Subdivision, North End Subdivision, and South End Subdivision, Washington to Selma
- NS Raleigh District, Selma to Greensboro
- NS Danville District, Greensboro to Linwood
- NS Charlotte District, Linwood to Charlotte
The duration of the journey is around 13 hours 30 minutes.
Consist
The Carolinian typically operates with a Viewliner baggage car, an Amfleet business class car, an Amfleet cafe, and 3-4 Amfleet I coaches. Motive power is provided by a GE P42DC diesel locomotive south of Washington, D.C.. Service between Washington and New York is handled by a Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotive. Maximum seating in such a configuration is 346, split between business class and reserved coach.
References
External links
- Amtrak - Piedmont and Carolinian
- NCDOT Rail Division