The bridge sits at the the western foot of the station and many trains have seen delays there due to box trucks striking the bridge. It's a sight to behold how the bridge rips the tops of trucks off
I am currently a freshman at East Carolina, and my hometown is too far to drive for my family, so Amtrak is helping us cut time of driving in car and allowing both student and family to have less stressful planning when it comes to winter breaks
This railroad makes me happy. They provide good service,southern hospitality, and a good environment. I took a trip to Charlotte for an overnight trip to return the next day. Train worker recognized us from the day before while boarding the train home and we had a friendly conversation about our goings on. Little things like that really seal the deal.
I can't believe that the whole time I went to UNCG in the late 90's and early 2000's I never took the train from Greensboro to Raleigh. I drove I-40 so many times between the two and never thought to take the train. Since then I've taken them a bunch and love it if I'm not in a hurry.
And I’d love to see Knoxville hooked back up with Amtrak. There’s a set of train tracks about 1/2 mile behind my neighborhood. Freight trains run several times during each day/ night, but passenger trains are a thing of the past. Here’s hoping they’ll be a thing of the future!
NCDOT is studying how to bring passenger service to Asheville and Wilmington. They may have some kind of service within 10 years or so. Winston-Salem has plans to convert its Union Station (formerly Davis Garage) into a multimodal station, with commuter rail service to Greensboro, timeline unknown. When the Class 1 railroads pulled up those extra "unused" tracks between 1960's and 1980's, little did they know that missing trackage would be needed again, as passenger service rebounded and freight profits moved upward, which they did not anticipate (my opinion). Foresight beats hindsight. Now they have to rebuild Main Street all over again, and they are doing it.
My wife and I live in Charlotte. We use the Carolinian and Piedmont’s all the time to do day trips between Charlotte and Raleigh. We’ve had many meals at the Morgan St Food Hall. Great video!!!!!
It would be really nice if we could get any kind of rail service to AshevilleNC. The western part of North Carolina is neglected in many ways, rail service is just another in a long list
The same thing here in Wilmington, NC on the coast, no passenger rail since 1968. But recent proposals include both Asheville and Wilmington in new Amtrak routes. Unfortunately it's likely to be several years from now if it happens at all.
I read - I may not be totally correct - the name "Union Station" was applied to scores of railroad stations around the country within the 19th to 20th centuries during the steam-engine ages. Denver, Colorado, has a "Union Station." D.C. has a "Union Station" also. It may have something to do with the powerful railroad tycoons living in those time periods.
@@JonathanFritz3757 traditionally stations are called union station because they were (at some point) run by the Union Pacific Rail Co. Raleigh’s is called union station because of the (currently under construction) integrated bus station
I was just going to ask about that. I have a cousin who lives in Wilmington and I live in Chicago and would love to go by train to visit her but they don't have a station in Wilmington that I can see or even a train that goes that way. Kind of disappointing.
I live in Jacksonville and Wilmington is about 45 minutes away. That being said the closest train is in Wilson which is a little over an hour away. But they have a bus come pick you up in Jacksonville and take you to the train in Wilson and bring you back on the return trip. I think you should be able to come from Chicago to Wilson NC and either Uber from there to Wilmington. Or take the free bus ride to Jacksonville from Wilson and Uber from here.
Most passenger train terminals in the US named "Union" are named as such to reflect their original joint ownership by several private railroads, unlike stations (like New York Penn Station) that were initially built for just one railroad's use. The intercity passenger services of these private railroads were consolidated into Amtrak in the 70's, but most train stations still retain their original name no matter which railroads now serve them.
Union Station in Greensboro is both rustic and beautiful. It's a good multimodal station. In High Point, you can watch the trains from several street bridges over the tracks or observation spots along High Avenue. The station is beautiful as well. A bridge walkway over the station tracks connects with the city bus terminal. Lexington is on schedule for a new Amtrak station by 2026. The Piedmont Crescent - the 150 miles between Raleigh and Charlotte - is blessed to have a variety of transportation options.
traditionally stations are called union station because they were (at some point) run by the Union Pacific Rail Co. Raleigh’s is called union station because of the (currently under construction) integrated bus station
America needs a high-speed rail system, as well as intra/interstate travel. Applauded everything you said about the benefits of rail travel- if only American's knew what they're missing. 🚅🚂🚉
Sorry Amtrak is lucky to get money for toilet paper! Most places don't even have trains like Phoenix Des Moines, Fort Wayne. Amtrak is a unfinished system. Trump if reelected would have shut the most popular lines of the west down.
Living here in STL and it's inconvenient to travel anywhere despite being in the middle of the country. I think upgraded public transportation is a missed opportunity indeed. I don't always need to get somewhere fast and would enjoy a smooth, scenic start and end to my trip. Luxury busses, trains and even riverboats would be nice "other" choices. But real competition would force the airlines and Amtrak to do better....
Great to see more rail coverage. BTW, I saw another vid and apparently the long distance trains returned to the full dining experience at the end of June. No more TV dinners.
Amtrak is being a blessing for us since my daughter goes to NC State in college because of gas prices back and forth to Kannapolis it's very cheap right now
I've taken the Carolinian more times than I can count from Washington to Greensboro and back. The last couple of times I've booked, I have been able to select my seat. The route was a godsend for the many years when I worked in DC and my whole family lived in NC.
Great video! I live in NC and just used a USA Rail Pass to take an across the country trip from Charlotte to San Francisco and then returning from San Diego to Charlotte. The trip was great and I fell in love with train travel.
Loved watching this video, it definitely shows the true feel of taking the Carolinian and its a different point of view than I'm used to. Im mechanical for the Carolinian in Charlotte, so this is definitely a treat.
Management is trying to shut most lines down. Trump hired them! Only state lines were to be continued. Most states have no such programs. Most large cities have no service or just the one train a day in the middle of the night joke.
Love the coverage of your home state! Great to see videos about the Amtrak routes that aren't the Big Names. We need to pass that infrastructure bill and expand Amtrak even further throughout the country
Checking back a year later to say that Amtrak ended up getting a $66 Billion funding boost from the Fed! Going to expansion of state-funded services across the country, new trainsets, and upgrades to the Northeast Corridor. It's a good year for Amtrak
NC Volunteer train hosts will likely be back on board soon to assist passengers. Hosting has been curtailed by the pandemic since March 2020. The train host association has about 150 members and we volunteer our time to promote passenger train service in the Tar Heel State. The last time I took a day trip to Raleigh from Salisbury as a passenger, I took the mid-day Piedmont train and returned on the Carolinian. I also had lunch at Morgan Street Food Hall! Great video! Keep spreading the word about train travel in N.C.
Most Amtrak stations that are called "Union" stations are called such because of their heritage. Before Amtrak, Raleigh was probably served by more than just one railroad, so the name stuck post-1971. We've got a few of these Union stations that are only served by Amtrak in my neck of the woods. Great video!
Hey Jeb! Great travel content! I have taken Amtrak 3 times in the last few years: Cary -> Greensboro, and 2x Cary-Charlotte. They are great at leaving on time, I hear the new Raleigh station is beautiful and have I have always found very helpful employees. But that is where the compliments end. I love the train, but getting to Winston-Salem required a very uncomfortable van ride from G'boro station to W-S. ( How do they not have a train to W-S, the past home of tobacco and BB&T banking???) And the Cary-Charlotte trips had no WiFi at all, and tracks / cars that were incredibly noisy. But, with all that, I would take them again. It is still much nicer than driving, but it would be nice to have a bigger system of rails in NC.
2:58 you can select a room by calling. But make sure to say you want to MODIFY your reservation, or else they might charge you. Or course, some Amtrak agents don’t know how to do that without charging you, so keep calling or ask to speak to their supervisors until you get an agent who knows how to. It should not cost
Glad to see you on my favorite trains! I used to ride the Piedmont all the time when I was a student at NC State. The Piedmont's passenger cars were originally built in the 1950's before being restored by the state, which is why they're far more comfortable and have much larger windows than Amtrak's relatively newer Amfleet cars (which are what the Carolinian uses). Riding the Piedmont is an outstanding value: $30 or thereabouts from Raleigh to Charlotte for a "coach" seat that's really more equivalent to something like American's domestic first class in terms of comfort and productivity is hard to beat. On-time performance was also very good in my experience (although the Carolinian tends to be much less reliable in that regard than the Piedmont due to the former's much longer route).
Great video. I’m originally from the Greensboro area and now live just north of Raleigh. I recognized all of the downtown landmarks you visited. NC By Rail is definitely one of our state’s best features.
I love how you mentioned LOCKING the bathroom door. Well, in June 2021, I was on the Crescent from Greensboro to Washington DC and the train was quite full. This woman went into the lavatory and I really had to go! She did not lock the door and I was next in line. Since I had to go I opened the door and that woman was pulling her pants up. She then slid the door shut and locked it. This was Amfleet 2 car by the way. I always make sure to lock the door otherwise on a full train someone can walk in on you. It was an embarrassing moment but memorable one too
I was born in Burlington, lived in Asheboro, Spindale, and Greensboro (UNCG). Although I’ve lived in VA for more years, I still consider myself a Carolina Girl. Thanks for the video, nice to see my home state!
So nostalgic, back when I lived just blocks from the station in Greensboro (off Spring Garden) I took my kiddo to the Museum of Natural History in Raleigh using Amtrak. It was less than gas and my Thomas the train obsessed kiddo LOVED it. I wish we had Amtrak in TN, I live in Chattanooga now and you'd think we'd actually have passenger rail given the whole Chattanooga Choo Choo thing. I'd love to hop a train to downtown ATL or Nashville for a quick day trip.
When I lived in Cary I'd take the Carolinian to visit my friend who lived in DC. While not nearly as scenic or impressive as other routes, but it was so convenient and a much better experience than dealing with DC traffic and absolutely perfect for a weekend trip. I was surprised with how much leg room I had, being on the shorter side I had enough leg room to entirely stretch my legs out without touching the back of the seat in front of me as long as I didn't point my toes.
I love seeing my train mentioned on such a big channel! My father and Grandfather worked on the railroad in NC. And hopefully I’ll get to continue that legacy. Great video!
I live in Burlington, so cheap and comfortable day trips to nearby major cities are much appreciated. Burlington has a beautiful depot, a renovated historic “company shop” as well as the “old depot”, also a historic building which is a multi-function civic facility. Edit: The Burlington train station comes into view at 05:35. I also enjoyed, before the pandemic, taking the train to DC, much more pleasant travel than driving.
While living in a New Jersey shore town, my husband worked in Brooklyn. On a day off, I would often ride New Jersey Transit trains to Manhattan for date night. It was a commuter train, so it made multiple stops, 1 lengthy one at Newark, before arriving at NYC Penn Station. It took 2 hours, but I much preferred it over driving. As a flight attendant based in NYC, I would have to allow myself 3 hours to drive to JFK. I don't recall this train ever being late.
This is so exciting for me, i used to live in Burnsville N C, even though im from New Zealand and love my country, the countryside round Burnsville reminded me of the countryside of my home town and i had some wonderful memories to cherish
YEAH, Union Station does indeed mean more than one rail operator. As you know, there are many genuine Union Stations, including Chicago, for example. I enjoy your train videos, keep up the good work.
I’m from Elon so it was really cool to see footage of my hometown and Alamance county in general. When you were on your way back from Raleigh you passed by some buildings I recognized. On the other side of the car at that point was my grandmother’s house. Whenever I spent the night I would always see Amtrak and freight trains pass by. I plan to take that train soon so I can really experience it:
I’m impressed that North Carolina has such good inner-city rail service. I would love if Minnesota had such service between the Twin Cities to Duluth and Rochester.
It's not that good. If you live in parts of the state out of these hubs, you have no options. What need are regional commuter rails to move people from outer ring suburbs into work centers...Downtown Raleigh, Downtown Durham and Research Triangle Park....which is itself essentially a sprawled out city as well.
I really like the information and pictures that you provide. I believe the train provides a unique travel experience which allows you to get where you going with little or no hassles. Nothing like sitting in your seat watching the beautiful scenery knowing that your destination is only a stop away . Thanks again , see you on the rails.
I had no idea. I'm going to take advantage of this my next time in Charlotte. I handle a territory in the Southeast and Raleigh is a good 6+ hr car ride for me from north Atlanta. I can get to Charlotte in under 4 though. Wish we had some good regional trains from Atlanta to the Carolina's. Could make a stop in Athens, GA that would definitely get some use. Go Dawgs!
You should ride on the Amtrak cascades service when the boarders open. It goes from Eugene Oregon To Vancouver BC. The service has special equipment, the passenger cars are talgo cars there so cool!
I was thinking the same thing while watching the video. The Cascades route is also a collaboration between Amtrak and the DOT in both Oregon and Washington.
I love taking the train between Charlotte and Raleigh, i just wish the Charlotte station was more centrally located, but with gateway station opening "soon", that won't be a problem anymore, and you can hop right on the light rail after getting off the train!
Hope you have a chance to check out VIA rail at some point. My partner and I took the train from Windsor to Toronto recently, and it was fantastic. The ride was smooth, faster than driving, with decent food and connectivity.
You are so lucky to have this transportation option! I love Atlanta but our rail options are sorely lacking. I live right by the Atlanta Amtrak station (2 blocks away) but I’ve never had opportunity to use it because trains only arrive once or twice a day and the network is pretty crappy. For example, id love to go to Columbia, SC, by train, but it would take 26 hours 😂
You need to take a trip to Strasburg, Pa and take a ride on the Strasburg railroad. Its a little railroad that does train trips and does freight with both Diesels and Steam locomotives.
I am currently visiting the triangle area and we were going to take a train to the NC state fair, but it was sold out. Still got a few cool pics at Raleigh union station though. The Piedmont and Carolinian stop at the NC state fair during the state fair from October 12-22!
Any route that has multiple trains a day I guess counts as robust for United States standards, but so many rail corridors could have twice, thrice, maybe even ten times the service that it does now and it would be so much more convenient and beneficial! I really appreciate the level of service that my hometown of Davis, California has for Amtrak: frequent (40min-2hr headways depending on time of day, and it should be even more frequent) Capitol Corridor service plus the California Zephyr and the Coast Starlight!
I have only been on trains in Europe, but I would love to hop on the train here in Fayetteville NC and just ride it somewhere. My kids have never been on a train and I think they would enjoy it.
Sorry for the second comment - you mentioned to make sure the bathroom doors are locked - that's not the problem. The locks are old as hell and don't catch properly. The lock will show "locked" but unless the door is properly closed all the way AND the lock catches, the door won't lock and the outside won't show as occupied.
Have watched and enjoyed a couple of your videos before. Shocked to find out you are actually in NC. Greetings from the area near the Cary, NC station!
My wife's family is from Hickory. Too bad the train doesn't go there. The closest station is Gastonia, down 321. Maybe we'll venture down there someday and climb aboard. Looks like a nice day trip.
Union Station takes its name from the former Raleigh Union Depot, which hasn't served trains since 1950, when the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and Southern Railway left the depot for their own separate stations in nearby areas. Union Depot still stands at the corner of Dawson and Martin Streets, and the Seaboard Station (which Amtrak used until the Seaboard line was abandoned in Virginia) that replaced it is still standing at Seaboard Station Drive and is now used for a farmer's market, but the Southern Railway station was demolished in 2018 after the current Union Station opened so the North Carolina Railroad tracks (used by NS) could be relocated.
According to wikipedia, Raleigh Union Station is called that to pay homage to one of Raleigh's older train stations, Union Depot. There are plans for future commuter rail to serve the station as well.
Summer 2023 will bring a 4th round trip. California still has the best state supported amtrak system with Surfliner (10RT going to 13RT this summer) , Captial corridor (12RT going back to 15RT daily) and San Joaquin (7RT going to 10RT) all are set to increase service massively in the next few year with statewide plans to grow service to more places.
You missed your opportunity to highlight Durham's most famous landmark. The 11 foot 8 bridge.
I didn't know about the bridge! I need to learn more about it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
The bridge sits at the the western foot of the station and many trains have seen delays there due to box trucks striking the bridge. It's a sight to behold how the bridge rips the tops of trucks off
@@GreenerGrass Check it out on youtube.. you'll find a whole collection of videos..
@@GreenerGrass it’s practically a can opener- for box trucks! 😂😂
Sadly it's not the 11 foot 8 bridge anymore! It definitely still hungers but it's not as voracious as it used to be.
I am currently a freshman at East Carolina, and my hometown is too far to drive for my family, so Amtrak is helping us cut time of driving in car and allowing both student and family to have less stressful planning when it comes to winter breaks
I had no idea NC has such good train service. Good to know.
good evening how are you
depends on which part of nc you live in. my area doesn't have passenger trains.
This railroad makes me happy. They provide good service,southern hospitality, and a good environment. I took a trip to Charlotte for an overnight trip to return the next day. Train worker recognized us from the day before while boarding the train home and we had a friendly conversation about our goings on. Little things like that really seal the deal.
I can't believe that the whole time I went to UNCG in the late 90's and early 2000's I never took the train from Greensboro to Raleigh. I drove I-40 so many times between the two and never thought to take the train. Since then I've taken them a bunch and love it if I'm not in a hurry.
Memphis to Nashville would be a great addition it would connect with Amtrak’s City of New Orleans service.
And I’d love to see Knoxville hooked back up with Amtrak. There’s a set of train tracks about 1/2 mile behind my neighborhood. Freight trains run several times during each day/ night, but passenger trains are a thing of the past. Here’s hoping they’ll be a thing of the future!
It would be truly lovely to have train service again after many years without into Western North Carolina.
It would be great to have service to Asheville but I'm not holding my breath.
NCDOT is studying how to bring passenger service to Asheville and Wilmington. They may have some kind of service within 10 years or so. Winston-Salem has plans to convert its Union Station (formerly Davis Garage) into a multimodal station, with commuter rail service to Greensboro, timeline unknown. When the Class 1 railroads pulled up those extra "unused" tracks between 1960's and 1980's, little did they know that missing trackage would be needed again, as passenger service rebounded and freight profits moved upward, which they did not anticipate (my opinion). Foresight beats hindsight. Now they have to rebuild Main Street all over again, and they are doing it.
@@JonathanFritz3757 Won't happen, the freight trains in our area won't share.
@@skayc1 Sad to hear that, I used to ride on passenger trains owned by the freights. How quickly they forget.
My wife and I live in Charlotte. We use the Carolinian and Piedmont’s all the time to do day trips between Charlotte and Raleigh. We’ve had many meals at the Morgan St Food Hall. Great video!!!!!
good evening from cambodia
I live in Statesville and I have ridden both
I'm interested in taking this charlote-Railegh or Cary route. Can you recommend a hotel close to the station?
It would be really nice if we could get any kind of rail service to AshevilleNC. The western part of North Carolina is neglected in many ways, rail service is just another in a long list
The same thing here in Wilmington, NC on the coast, no passenger rail since 1968. But recent proposals include both Asheville and Wilmington in new Amtrak routes. Unfortunately it's likely to be several years from now if it happens at all.
Mountains means no train.. I wish they would go but the run up would cost SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much money.
Same with the east. Just the center has service
The Greensboro Southern Railway station is one of the most beautiful in the Country.
I read - I may not be totally correct - the name "Union Station" was applied to scores of railroad stations around the country within the 19th to 20th centuries during the steam-engine ages. Denver, Colorado, has a "Union Station." D.C. has a "Union Station" also. It may have something to do with the powerful railroad tycoons living in those time periods.
@@JonathanFritz3757 traditionally stations are called union station because they were (at some point) run by the Union Pacific Rail Co. Raleigh’s is called union station because of the (currently under construction) integrated bus station
Train service into Wilmington, NC would be pretty cool.
I was just going to ask about that. I have a cousin who lives in Wilmington and I live in Chicago and would love to go by train to visit her but they don't have a station in Wilmington that I can see or even a train that goes that way. Kind of disappointing.
Wilmington to Greenville to Raleigh would be welcomed. Also, Greensboro to Winston Salem to Statesville to Morgantown to Asheville would be awesome.
@@cogman62 They do offer a shuttle bus from Winston to Greensboro.
@@Clarence_Oddbody true (and a bus from GSO to Boone) but 6 trains a day is pitiful. I’ve lived in Germany- they know how to do public transport.
I live in Jacksonville and Wilmington is about 45 minutes away. That being said the closest train is in Wilson which is a little over an hour away. But they have a bus come pick you up in Jacksonville and take you to the train in Wilson and bring you back on the return trip. I think you should be able to come from Chicago to Wilson NC and either Uber from there to Wilmington. Or take the free bus ride to Jacksonville from Wilson and Uber from here.
Living in NC my whole life it's honestly an amazing privilege to have our own Amtrak service like this, great video!
Most passenger train terminals in the US named "Union" are named as such to reflect their original joint ownership by several private railroads, unlike stations (like New York Penn Station) that were initially built for just one railroad's use. The intercity passenger services of these private railroads were consolidated into Amtrak in the 70's, but most train stations still retain their original name no matter which railroads now serve them.
Union Station in Greensboro is both rustic and beautiful. It's a good multimodal station. In High Point, you can watch the trains from several street bridges over the tracks or observation spots along High Avenue. The station is beautiful as well. A bridge walkway over the station tracks connects with the city bus terminal. Lexington is on schedule for a new Amtrak station by 2026. The Piedmont Crescent - the 150 miles between Raleigh and Charlotte - is blessed to have a variety of transportation options.
@@jayamburn1959 Thank you for your greeting. Life is good. Praise our Heavenly Father.
traditionally stations are called union station because they were (at some point) run by the Union Pacific Rail Co. Raleigh’s is called union station because of the (currently under construction) integrated bus station
America needs a high-speed rail system, as well as intra/interstate travel. Applauded everything you said about the benefits of rail travel- if only American's knew what they're missing. 🚅🚂🚉
Sorry Amtrak is lucky to get money for toilet paper! Most places don't even have trains like Phoenix Des Moines, Fort Wayne. Amtrak is a unfinished system. Trump if reelected would have shut the most popular lines of the west down.
Living here in STL and it's inconvenient to travel anywhere despite being in the middle of the country. I think upgraded public transportation is a missed opportunity indeed. I don't always need to get somewhere fast and would enjoy a smooth, scenic start and end to my trip. Luxury busses, trains and even riverboats would be nice "other" choices. But real competition would force the airlines and Amtrak to do better....
Agree! You live in a"BIG" city. (And a beautiful one, imo) You should be able to get wherever you want to go with ease.@@sunbird3614
Great to see more rail coverage. BTW, I saw another vid and apparently the long distance trains returned to the full dining experience at the end of June. No more TV dinners.
True, they are bringing back fresh, made-by-chef, meals.
@@JuanSanchezGuerra they were amazing when we did the Southwest Chief.
Western long distance trains minus the Texas Eagle*
East coast trains are stuck with TV dinners, except for the Auto Train.
@@Love2Cruise Not for long. Eastern trains will most likely be getting a small menu of traditional dining within a year
Amtrak is being a blessing for us since my daughter goes to NC State in college because of gas prices back and forth to Kannapolis it's very cheap right now
I've taken the Carolinian more times than I can count from Washington to Greensboro and back. The last couple of times I've booked, I have been able to select my seat. The route was a godsend for the many years when I worked in DC and my whole family lived in NC.
The first thing that came to my mind was the infamous 11' 8" bridge lol
I was thinking they should name one of the coaches "11 Foot 8". Although it was recently raised to 12' 4".
Somebody asked, it's in Durham. Has it's own web cams, and hundreds of thousands of views.
Great video! I live in NC and just used a USA Rail Pass to take an across the country trip from Charlotte to San Francisco and then returning from San Diego to Charlotte. The trip was great and I fell in love with train travel.
SW Ohio would really benefit from this kind of system. Like a route mimicking I-70 & I-75. From Toledo to Cincy, to Columbus and Cleveland
Loved watching this video, it definitely shows the true feel of taking the Carolinian and its a different point of view than I'm used to.
Im mechanical for the Carolinian in Charlotte, so this is definitely a treat.
For NC, I'd love to see them add a route to Wilmington and to Asheville. They could cover a lot more passengers with that.
Wilmington would be awesome
Ashville/Cherokee would be amazing... only trouble is trains dont do hills
Amtrak actually has Wilmington NC on their expansion map so we could possibly rail service returning Wilmington NC
Management is trying to shut most lines down. Trump hired them! Only state lines were to be continued. Most states have no such programs. Most large cities have no service or just the one train a day in the middle of the night joke.
If Amtrak would go to those small towns in eastern NC. They could make a lot of money. Instead of a 45 minute ride to a terminal
Love the coverage of your home state! Great to see videos about the Amtrak routes that aren't the Big Names. We need to pass that infrastructure bill and expand Amtrak even further throughout the country
Checking back a year later to say that Amtrak ended up getting a $66 Billion funding boost from the Fed! Going to expansion of state-funded services across the country, new trainsets, and upgrades to the Northeast Corridor. It's a good year for Amtrak
NC Volunteer train hosts will likely be back on board soon to assist passengers. Hosting has been curtailed by the pandemic since March 2020. The train host association has about 150 members and we volunteer our time to promote passenger train service in the Tar Heel State. The last time I took a day trip to Raleigh from Salisbury as a passenger, I took the mid-day Piedmont train and returned on the Carolinian. I also had lunch at Morgan Street Food Hall! Great video! Keep spreading the word about train travel in N.C.
Most Amtrak stations that are called "Union" stations are called such because of their heritage. Before Amtrak, Raleigh was probably served by more than just one railroad, so the name stuck post-1971. We've got a few of these Union stations that are only served by Amtrak in my neck of the woods. Great video!
Hey Jeb! Great travel content! I have taken Amtrak 3 times in the last few years: Cary -> Greensboro, and 2x Cary-Charlotte. They are great at leaving on time, I hear the new Raleigh station is beautiful and have I have always found very helpful employees. But that is where the compliments end. I love the train, but getting to Winston-Salem required a very uncomfortable van ride from G'boro station to W-S. ( How do they not have a train to W-S, the past home of tobacco and BB&T banking???) And the Cary-Charlotte trips had no WiFi at all, and tracks / cars that were incredibly noisy. But, with all that, I would take them again. It is still much nicer than driving, but it would be nice to have a bigger system of rails in NC.
11:10 That is Sullivan dorm, NC State University, Raleigh. I stayed there for my sophomore year at college. Saw many freight trains pass by there!
He missed a couple of chances to show Dorton Arena! :(
I go to school in Greensboro at Guilford College and I frequently take 80-79 to Raleigh to Greensboro every day! Love the crews:):):)
2:58 you can select a room by calling. But make sure to say you want to MODIFY your reservation, or else they might charge you.
Or course, some Amtrak agents don’t know how to do that without charging you, so keep calling or ask to speak to their supervisors until you get an agent who knows how to. It should not cost
1:21 I love that they use the old board. YES! You also have a really nice station there, a platform and everything!
Glad to see you on my favorite trains! I used to ride the Piedmont all the time when I was a student at NC State. The Piedmont's passenger cars were originally built in the 1950's before being restored by the state, which is why they're far more comfortable and have much larger windows than Amtrak's relatively newer Amfleet cars (which are what the Carolinian uses). Riding the Piedmont is an outstanding value: $30 or thereabouts from Raleigh to Charlotte for a "coach" seat that's really more equivalent to something like American's domestic first class in terms of comfort and productivity is hard to beat. On-time performance was also very good in my experience (although the Carolinian tends to be much less reliable in that regard than the Piedmont due to the former's much longer route).
Great video. I’m originally from the Greensboro area and now live just north of Raleigh. I recognized all of the downtown landmarks you visited. NC By Rail is definitely one of our state’s best features.
Its pretty neat that the Piedmont cars are actually 1950s vintage. That would explain the extra character in the bathrooms.
I always like your train videos and it's very nice to see this service in that beautiful state.
I love how you mentioned LOCKING the bathroom door. Well, in June 2021, I was on the Crescent from Greensboro to Washington DC and the train was quite full. This woman went into the lavatory and I really had to go! She did not lock the door and I was next in line. Since I had to go I opened the door and that woman was pulling her pants up. She then slid the door shut and locked it. This was Amfleet 2 car by the way. I always make sure to lock the door otherwise on a full train someone can walk in on you. It was an embarrassing moment but memorable one too
I was born in Burlington, lived in Asheboro, Spindale, and Greensboro (UNCG). Although I’ve lived in VA for more years, I still consider myself a Carolina Girl. Thanks for the video, nice to see my home state!
So nostalgic, back when I lived just blocks from the station in Greensboro (off Spring Garden) I took my kiddo to the Museum of Natural History in Raleigh using Amtrak. It was less than gas and my Thomas the train obsessed kiddo LOVED it. I wish we had Amtrak in TN, I live in Chattanooga now and you'd think we'd actually have passenger rail given the whole Chattanooga Choo Choo thing. I'd love to hop a train to downtown ATL or Nashville for a quick day trip.
I'm late to this video, but as a Dallas native living in NC, I have loved seeing you in both of my "homes!"
As a former Piedmont Airlines gal.. it was nice to see this!
I see that train pass through Thomasville everyday. They are supposedly adding a new station and a stop in Lexington.
Correct. And I pray that NCDOT will build level-boarding platforms. That would be a plus for Lexington.
I’ve seen so many of your airline reviews, your Amtrak vlogs are incredibly good. I have a rail pass to use before October- my head is spinning!
I used to live in The Triangle and lucky enough to recognize thet Cary station!
When I lived in Cary I'd take the Carolinian to visit my friend who lived in DC. While not nearly as scenic or impressive as other routes, but it was so convenient and a much better experience than dealing with DC traffic and absolutely perfect for a weekend trip. I was surprised with how much leg room I had, being on the shorter side I had enough leg room to entirely stretch my legs out without touching the back of the seat in front of me as long as I didn't point my toes.
Traveled from NYC to Mebane NC twice. DREADFUL! 500 STOPS!
I'm from Mebane though I now live in Hartford CT, it was nice to see some of my hometown towns!! Thanks!!
I'm been waiting for you to do a review on this train! Great work, Jeb!
I love seeing my train mentioned on such a big channel! My father and Grandfather worked on the railroad in NC. And hopefully I’ll get to continue that legacy. Great video!
Thank you and your parents for all your service.
Montana is such a beautiful state. Needs this!!
I live in Burlington, so cheap and comfortable day trips to nearby major cities are much appreciated. Burlington has a beautiful depot, a renovated historic “company shop” as well as the “old depot”, also a historic building which is a multi-function civic facility.
Edit: The Burlington train station comes into view at 05:35. I also enjoyed, before the pandemic, taking the train to DC, much more pleasant travel than driving.
My wife and I took the Carolinian to Washington D.C. it was a great trip. We sat in business class so we could stretch out.
While living in a New Jersey shore town, my husband worked in Brooklyn. On a day off, I would often ride New Jersey Transit trains to Manhattan for date night. It was a commuter train, so it made multiple stops, 1 lengthy one at Newark, before arriving at NYC Penn Station. It took 2 hours, but I much preferred it over driving. As a flight attendant based in NYC, I would have to allow myself 3 hours to drive to JFK. I don't recall this train ever being late.
Heeeey! You shouted out Gibsonville! That’s my home town. I am glad to see this video. I take the train in NC all of the time.
I eagerly await the potential Asheville to Wilmington line. being able to catch a train to the beach sounds amazing.
This is so exciting for me, i used to live in Burnsville N C, even though im from New Zealand and love my country, the countryside round Burnsville reminded me of the countryside of my home town and i had some wonderful memories to cherish
I take this train from Philadelphia to Charlotte every Aug in business class. Very nice
YEAH, Union Station does indeed mean more than one rail operator. As you know, there are many genuine Union Stations, including Chicago, for example. I enjoy your train videos, keep up the good work.
Chicago Union was one of FIVE Amtrak shut down the first day.
Durham, N.C. is also home to the famous 11 foot 8 bridge Jeb! Great video as always, and see you in the skies!
I did the Piedmont train once from Durham to Charlotte in 2019. I love your informative video and glad to see service has increased
I’m from Elon so it was really cool to see footage of my hometown and Alamance county in general. When you were on your way back from Raleigh you passed by some buildings I recognized. On the other side of the car at that point was my grandmother’s house. Whenever I spent the night I would always see Amtrak and freight trains pass by. I plan to take that train soon so I can really experience it:
I’m impressed that North Carolina has such good inner-city rail service. I would love if Minnesota had such service between the Twin Cities to Duluth and Rochester.
It's not that good. If you live in parts of the state out of these hubs, you have no options. What need are regional commuter rails to move people from outer ring suburbs into work centers...Downtown Raleigh, Downtown Durham and Research Triangle Park....which is itself essentially a sprawled out city as well.
Wish we had a train station in Winston-Salem. I LOVE the train. When I must travel to DC for work, I take the train instead of the plane.
Awesome! Fellow North Carolinian here ENC.
Every village and metro would benefit!
Virginia really needs this so they can connect the DC area with Richmond and the Hamptons.
Virginia already has this kind of service, it's called the Northeast Regional.
I really like the information and pictures that you provide. I believe the train provides a unique travel experience which allows you to get where you going with little or no hassles. Nothing like sitting in your seat watching the beautiful scenery knowing that your destination is only a stop away . Thanks again , see you on the rails.
Thanks for showing us the Piedmont cars, they are unique on the Amtrak system.
I had no idea. I'm going to take advantage of this my next time in Charlotte. I handle a territory in the Southeast and Raleigh is a good 6+ hr car ride for me from north Atlanta. I can get to Charlotte in under 4 though. Wish we had some good regional trains from Atlanta to the Carolina's. Could make a stop in Athens, GA that would definitely get some use. Go Dawgs!
Morgan Street Food Hall sounds like a great place to eat! We never went until we moved 2 months ago.
Hi Jeff Brooks your presentation is very good. Thank You for the Vlog. Greetings from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. India.
We went to a brewery by a patch of woods in Cary tonight. Little did I know that the Silver Star would go whizzing by at 9:30 tonight. Exciting!
You should ride on the Amtrak cascades service when the boarders open. It goes from Eugene Oregon To Vancouver BC. The service has special equipment, the passenger cars are talgo cars there so cool!
I was thinking the same thing while watching the video. The Cascades route is also a collaboration between Amtrak and the DOT in both Oregon and Washington.
@@pitdoctor yeah just like the NC.
Thank you for taking me back to Raleigh! Miss my colleagues and friends.
I love taking the train between Charlotte and Raleigh, i just wish the Charlotte station was more centrally located, but with gateway station opening "soon", that won't be a problem anymore, and you can hop right on the light rail after getting off the train!
Hope you have a chance to check out VIA rail at some point. My partner and I took the train from Windsor to Toronto recently, and it was fantastic. The ride was smooth, faster than driving, with decent food and connectivity.
I sure enjoy your videos and comments. From one NC native to another keep up the rail travels.
Hi Jeb, did toy know the dutch city of Amsterdam has 12 train stations? so if you are over, give the dutch trains a try.
Texas needs this!
I’ve always been curious about this service. Thanks for the vid!
You are so lucky to have this transportation option! I love Atlanta but our rail options are sorely lacking. I live right by the Atlanta Amtrak station (2 blocks away) but I’ve never had opportunity to use it because trains only arrive once or twice a day and the network is pretty crappy. For example, id love to go to Columbia, SC, by train, but it would take 26 hours 😂
Honestly I'm throughly proud of you,
For speaking the fact and be sincere too okay.....
Hi Jeb! I’m a NC native and enjoy the quality and content of your video. Currently retired and traveling full time and riding as many trains as I can!
Tennessee and Kentucky would benefit from something like this, being long skinny little guys
At my railway crossing, I always see these two trains zoom by. Or when I am at home, I hear their horns.
I was on the Carolina in 2019 from Greensboro to DC. It was a great trip.
You need to take a trip to Strasburg, Pa and take a ride on the Strasburg railroad. Its a little railroad that does train trips and does freight with both Diesels and Steam locomotives.
I am currently visiting the triangle area and we were going to take a train to the NC state fair, but it was sold out. Still got a few cool pics at Raleigh union station though. The Piedmont and Carolinian stop at the NC state fair during the state fair from October 12-22!
Any route that has multiple trains a day I guess counts as robust for United States standards, but so many rail corridors could have twice, thrice, maybe even ten times the service that it does now and it would be so much more convenient and beneficial! I really appreciate the level of service that my hometown of Davis, California has for Amtrak: frequent (40min-2hr headways depending on time of day, and it should be even more frequent) Capitol Corridor service plus the California Zephyr and the Coast Starlight!
California is probably the second most robust service after the NEC
I have only been on trains in Europe, but I would love to hop on the train here in Fayetteville NC and just ride it somewhere. My kids have never been on a train and I think they would enjoy it.
It's great to see a fellow North Carolinian Jeb and also I'm also from NC.
How nice it would be to take a train from Wilmington NC to Newark NJ!
Beautiful countryside. Efficient travel is hard to find these days well done and thank you for sharing 👍
I have something like this in Kankakee IL. You can take the morning train to Downtown Chicago and come back later that afternoon!
Thanks for this man, GSO native & travelling Amtrak in a few months, appreciate u & this!
Sorry for the second comment - you mentioned to make sure the bathroom doors are locked - that's not the problem. The locks are old as hell and don't catch properly. The lock will show "locked" but unless the door is properly closed all the way AND the lock catches, the door won't lock and the outside won't show as occupied.
Have watched and enjoyed a couple of your videos before. Shocked to find out you are actually in NC. Greetings from the area near the Cary, NC station!
So nice video... luv it. Many thanks Jeb.
My wife's family is from Hickory. Too bad the train doesn't go there. The closest station is Gastonia, down 321. Maybe we'll venture down there someday and climb aboard. Looks like a nice day trip.
Union Station takes its name from the former Raleigh Union Depot, which hasn't served trains since 1950, when the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and Southern Railway left the depot for their own separate stations in nearby areas. Union Depot still stands at the corner of Dawson and Martin Streets, and the Seaboard Station (which Amtrak used until the Seaboard line was abandoned in Virginia) that replaced it is still standing at Seaboard Station Drive and is now used for a farmer's market, but the Southern Railway station was demolished in 2018 after the current Union Station opened so the North Carolina Railroad tracks (used by NS) could be relocated.
great to see more train trips, really enjoy them 👍
According to wikipedia, Raleigh Union Station is called that to pay homage to one of Raleigh's older train stations, Union Depot. There are plans for future commuter rail to serve the station as well.
Summer 2023 will bring a 4th round trip.
California still has the best state supported amtrak system with Surfliner (10RT going to 13RT this summer) , Captial corridor (12RT going back to 15RT daily) and San Joaquin (7RT going to 10RT) all are set to increase service massively in the next few year with statewide plans to grow service to more places.