Carolinian Train Celebrates 24 Years

This week the Carolinian service, which connects New York City and Charlotte, N.C. turns 24! What’s the best way to celebrate, you ask? By traveling on the Carolinian, of course!

At the kick-off event of the Carolinian’s ceremonial run, Miss North Carolina, Kelly Fletcher celebrated  with a glass of champagne. And since we’re handling the driving, you can still enjoy a beverage from our Cafe Car and ride in style today!

As part of the ceremony, then-Governor Martin told a crowd of 500 governmental and Amtrak officials, “This [train] is not just rooted in history. It’s the basis for the future.” Then as the train traveled throughout the state, local North Carolina residents greeted it with cheers, music, and speeches.

The following day, on Saturday, May 12, 1990, the Carolinian began taking passengers on a scenic journey up the East Coast from Charlotte through Raleigh, all the way north to New York City. Though it was paired with the Palmetto (New York-Jacksonville, Fla.) between Rocky Mount and New York City for its first year of service, the Carolinian began traveling the entire east coast route independently in 1991.

Through the financial support of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Carolinian carried more than 300,000 passengers last fiscal year and experienced a ridership growth close to 4 percent from fiscal year 2012 to fiscal year 2013.

 

To learn more about the history of Amtrak, visit history.amtrak.com.