Piedmont (train)

North Carolina developed the Piedmont as a regional follow-on to the Carolinian, which had entered service in early 1990. With the growing popularity of the Carolinian, state officials sought to add a second daily round-trip between Charlotte and Raleigh. However, Amtrak initially balked, claiming that it didn't have enough rolling stock to spare.[2] Undaunted, in the fall of 1990, NCDOT approved the acquisition of five used passenger cars and the leasing of two diesel locomotives. The board planned to have the second train enter service by early 1992.[3]

The Piedmont (as the train came to be called) faced numerous delays. Norfolk Southern, which leased the track, insisted that the state construct a wye in Charlotte for turning the two trains around. At the time, the southbound Carolinian had deadheaded 10 miles (16 km) south to the nearest wye in Pineville and turned around there. In 1993, the cost of the wye plus land purchase was estimated at $200,000; by late 1994, this grew to $695,000, plus $1.5 million for a maintenance facility in Raleigh.[4][5] The Piedmont finally began operating on May 26, 1995.[6] Originally, it operated with an early-morning trip to Charlotte and a nighttime return to Raleigh. Its creation enabled same-day business travel between Charlotte and Raleigh in both directions.

After delays in refurbishing the motive power and passenger cars, an additional Piedmont round trip began operating on June 5, 2010.[7][8][9] With the addition of the second train, Amtrak rebranded the route Piedmont Service to reflect the multiple daily frequencies.[7]

On March 22, 2011, it was announced that an agreement between NCDOT, Amtrak, Norfolk Southern and the North Carolina Railroad had been reached that would allow for $461 million in grants from the federal government to be used in upgrading infrastructure.[10] The money would be used to add additional double track and passing sidings, as well as reducing curves, resulting in a 13-minute reduction in travel time.[10]

NCDOT EMD F59PHI City of Asheville in Charlotte, having just pulled the westbound train from Raleigh

Improvements include the new Raleigh Union Station, which had its "ribbon cutting" in late April 2018 and began accepting trains that July.[11] A third daily Piedmont round trip was added on June 4, 2018[12][13] with a fourth round trip to be added in 2023.[14]

On May 18, 2020, the Piedmont was suspended on the same day the Carolinian returned as a cost-cutting measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the Carolinian as the only rail link between Charlotte and Raleigh until further notice. Earlier, NCDOT had cut back the Piedmont to a single round trip between Charlotte and Raleigh due to sharply reduced demand. It opted to bring back the Carolinian because it uses Amtrak rolling stock, rather than the state-owned consists used by the Piedmont.[15][16] Limited service resumed on August 10th, 2020 as a single round trip, with a morning trip to Charlotte and an afternoon return to Raleigh. [17]

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.[2]

On May 13, 2010, a westbound Piedmont collided with a lowboy tractor-trailer that was stuck on the tracks in Mebane, North Carolina, with 13 people injured.[18]

The Piedmont operates over North Carolina Railroad trackage. Norfolk Southern Railway and its predecessors have leased the NCRR from the state since 1871.

• Charlotte District, Charlotte to Linwood
• Danville District, Linwood to Greensboro
• Raleigh District, Greensboro to Raleigh

On-board volunteers from the North Carolina Train Host Association provide information about points of interest in North Carolina. Station hosts are also on hand at the Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh stations.

Close-up view of two state-owned coaches on the Piedmont.

NCDOT F59PH engine City of Durham at Salisbury.

NCDOT F59PHI engine City of Salisbury at Greensboro on the Piedmont.

The motive power for the Piedmont has been provided by eight state-owned locomotives. Two are EMD F59PHIs, numbered 1755 (City of Salisbury) and 1797 (City of Asheville). Six are EMD F59PHs, numbered 1810 (City of Greensboro), 1859 (City of High Point), 1869 (City of Durham), 1871 (Town of Cary), 1893 (City of Burlington), and 1984 (City of Kannapolis). NCDOT also has five cab control units which are numbered 101-105. NCDOT's current F59PHs were originally used by GO Transit of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and rebuilt by American Motive Power and Altoona Works.[19] Locomotives from Amtrak's national fleet, such as the GE P42DC, may also be used.[20]

NCDOT formerly operated two GP40PH-2's rebuilt by AMF. 1768 (City of Charlotte), originally B&O GP40 4008, was sold to the Virginia Railway Express and became VRE V24.[21] 1792 (City of Raleigh), originally L&N GP40 3006, was wrecked in the Mebane accident. Everything except the EMD 645 engine, bell and horn were scrapped.

Since at least 2017, the Piedmont has operated with two locomotives on either end of the train to improve on-time performance. When westbound trains arrive in Charlotte, the engineer simply goes to the locomotive on the other end of the train to take it to Raleigh, and vice versa. With the addition of more cab control units, the Piedmont will eventually operate in push-pull mode.[22]

State-owned passenger cars on the Piedmont are refurbished coach cars originally built by Pullman-Standard and the St. Louis Car Company in the 1960s for the Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific. There are five lounge/baggage cars and one coach/baggage car originally built by the St. Louis Car Company in the 1950s and used by the United States Army. The lounge car includes vending machines and complimentary coffee and tea. There are 14 regular coaches used on trains in addition to the six lounge/baggage cars. Each coach is named after a state landmark or state symbol.

All rolling stock has been painted in a blue and silver livery, with red accents, based on the North Carolina state flag. The Carolinian uses Amtrak's national red-white-blue livery.

In August 2019, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded NCDOT up to $76.9 million to purchase 13 new coaches, allowing the replacement of some older cars and an expansion to four daily round trips.[23] On May 22, 2020, Senator Thom Tillis announced that NCDOT will receive an $80 million dollar grant to order 13 additional new railcars (for an overall total of 26 new railcars) and 6 new locomotives to replace the remainder of the current fleet.[24] As of February 2020, nine former circus train cars purchased by NCDOT for $383,000 in 2017 for restoration and use on the Piedmont are stored in Spring Hope, North Carolina.[25] The state listed the nine cars for sale in December 2020.[26]

During fiscal year (FY) 2016, the Piedmont carried a total of 152,175 passengers, a 5.8% decrease from FY 2015's total of 161,487 passengers. The train had a total revenue of $3,213,742 during FY 2016, a drop of 2.7% below FY 2015's revenue of $3,402,929.[27]

Amtrak Piedmont (interactive map)

An additional station in Lexington operates during the Lexington Barbecue Festival in October.

The NCDOT offers free transit passes which allow detraining Piedmont passengers to get one free bus ride and one transfer on the same day of travel. Passes are honored by 13 participating transit systems along its route.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Piedmont (train).

• Carolinian & Piedmont – Amtrak
• NCDOT Rail Division
• NC Train Hosts