One option could be take Silver Service from JAX to Raleigh, NC and then take a Piedmont/Carolinian to Greensboro. Greensboro is just under a two-hour drive to the beautiful mountains around Boone, NC. Go on a football Saturday in October and enjoy the fall folliage and take in a football game at Appalachain State. The Raleigh Station is a bit over a year old and is very nice and spacious. The Piedmont/Carolinian is frequent enough that the wait in Raleigh may not be very long and if the Silver Star arrives late ot Raleigh another Piedmont will happen in a few hours, and there are some good NC BBQ near the Raleigh Station. My home station of Greensboro is beautiful in my opinion. Restored back to its 1920 era glory about 15 years ago. There is a small convenience store in the Greensboro station to grab a snack or even a bit more substantial food and a food truck tends to be near the city transit area in the same complex. You could also take the Piedmont to High Point and then an Amtrak Thruway bus to Winston-Salem and that would make a car ride from Winston-Salem to Boone a bit shorter. Heading south to Charlotte could also work if you are just trying to take in the miles on rail. Greensboro is staffed 24/7 given the times when all the trains arrive. High Point is not staffed except with volunteers from what I know about High Point.
The Piedmont is a day-time train running between Charlotte and Raleigh so you can see the country-side. The Silver Star arrives in Raleigh around 8:30 am so getting a rental car should not be a problem anywhere between Raleigh to Charlotte as you will be arriving in any city during business hours.
The Piedmont is a day-time train running between Charlotte and Raleigh so you can see the country-side. The Silver Star arrives in Raleigh around 8:30 am so getting a rental car should not be a problem anywhere between Raleigh to Charlotte as you will be arriving in any city during business hours.