Hi from North Carolina!

[OmahaRoad]

Hello, Amtrak Unlimited community! I am a current NC resident who, prior to last summer, had lived in MN my whole life previously. I found AU earlier this year and have been a lurker but not a poster, and am excited to do some posting! I will mostly post on Minnesota/Midwest and North Carolina-related Amtrak topics. I've supported and advocated for Amtrak for awhile now, but prior to moving to NC, had only taken the Empire Builder a couple of times.

I am excited to be living in North Carolina, where there's a comparatively (to MN) robust ecosystem of Amtrak routes! I finally decided to join AU because I wanted to help provide more detailed information about the upcoming second train ("TCMC") between St. Paul and Chicago, and in the future, on what's up with the proposed/in-the-process Northern Lights Express (NLX) between Minneapolis (though there's a chance it could end up starting in St. Paul) and Duluth. Happy to be here!

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

Welcome to the forum @OmahaRoad! Happy to have you here as well!

Yes, NC does have quite an Amtrak presence. What side of NC are you on? I know that the east side sees various routes, such as: Carolinian, Silver Star and Meteor, and Palmetto.

 

[OmahaRoad]

Thanks, @chadamfleetrailfan ! I appreciate the welcome. I'm more on the east/east-central side (I live in the Triangle) of the state; so far, I've taken the Carolinian, Piedmont, and Silver Star, and hope to take the Palmetto sometime in the 6-8 months. Of course, since I live in the Triangle and the Palmetto runs through true eastern NC, I'd have to take the Carolinian over to Selma-Smithfield or Wilson to connect to the Palmetto (or the Meteor), though it's not too inconvenient as far as Amtrak goes.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

I sometimes watch the railcam there at Selma. That's cool that you've taken those routes!

 

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Welcome to NC!

We have a state passenger rail advocacy that is the NC/SC complement to Rail Passengers Association Links for both are below. I would like to encourage you to join both if you are not a member and you care about passenger rail, which you seem to do indeed.

National >> Stand Up for A Connected America! | Rail Passengers Association | Washington, DC

NC/SC >> Carolinas Association for Passenger Trains

I have no idea if or when more trainings may happen but you might also want to consider volunteering with the NC Train Host Association in the future.
N.C. Train Hosts | North Carolina Amtrak Service

 

[OmahaRoad]

Thank you! I joined CAPT several months ago (or sometime earlier this year--time really flies!) and also contribute to the RPA as I am able (In addition to All Aboard MN back home in MN!) The NC Train Host program is a great one! I probably wouldn't have time to do it now since I'm early in my career and work full-time, but maybe someday.

I am optimistic about the future of passenger rail, all things considered, though I continually cross my fingers about the consistency of federal-level support.

 

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Thank you! I joined CAPT several months ago (or sometime earlier this year--time really flies!) and also contribute to the RPA as I am able (In addition to All Aboard MN back home in MN!) The NC Train Host program is a great one! I probably wouldn't have time to do it now since I'm early in my career and work full-time, but maybe someday.

I am optimistic about the future of passenger rail, all things considered, though I continually cross my fingers about the consistency of federal-level support.

I teach full time and have a weekend job at a local science museum top of that, so I do not ride all the time, and I will be riding later in the day after work. A time that works for me and not many hosts ride at that time. But it is a time commitment. On those days I teach and ride I have about a 15 hour day with not much of a break. I have to ride once every two months and can do a bit more in the summer. I can also station host and not spend as much time on the train.

Most important is my thanks for joining CAPT and supporting RPA.

 

[TheVig]

@OmahaRoad Welcome!

 

[OmahaRoad]

@TheVig , thank you! I appreciate it. Took the train (Piedmont) to Charlotte for the first time a couple weeks ago and it was great. (Though I do see now why the upcoming Gateway station will be such a game-changer compared to the current station!)