RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s state-sponsored rail passenger service, NC By Train, achieved record ridership in 2023 for the second year in a row, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The state’s intercity passenger rail service carried over 641,000 passengers in fiscal year 2023, 23% higher than the record set in 2022 with 522,000 passengers.
The Raleigh-Charlotte Piedmont carried 289,955 passengers, a 36.4% increase from fiscal year 2022. This is an increase from pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership, with 214,218 passengers carried in FY2019. The train makes five round trips daily.
“We’re pleased that NC By Train continues to grow and be an important transportation option for North Carolinians,” Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins said in a news release. “Based on the success of the last two years, we are continuing to explore opportunities to further increase frequencies and expand service to communities across the state.”
NC DOT said contributing to the services growth were the addition of a fifth-round trip between Raleigh and Charlotte in July 2023 and numerous events and special stops, such as the North Carolina State Fair, the Lexington Barbeque Festival, and football games.
In addition to the Piedmont service between Raleigh and Charlotte, NC By Train includes the Carolinian between Charlotte and New York, Amtrak’s Silver Service between New York and Florida, and the New York-New Orleans Crescent.
The Piedmont Service uses locomotive and cars owned by NC DOT. While the Piedmont is operated by Amtrak crews, most other operations are handled by NCDOT. The state sets schedules, owns the equipment, and handles most of the marketing. Maintenance is handled by state contractors at facilities in Charlotte and Raleigh.
How about naming a locomotive “Town of Mayberry”?
Increase of 23 % with 5th train added in July would seem to indicate a 11.5% increase per train for the service. More service seems to be increasing totals ridership per train. Will this still happen with the 6th train? IMO probably so.
Also note that now some trains skip a stop or 2. That may be limiting passengers off and on at those stations.
Have lost info when the next track work to lower enroute times will be started. Greensborough – Raleigh?
I believe it is Greensboro, NC.