I remember seeing a thread that talked about not quoting articles unless necessary so I'm going to just link to it instead.
Raleigh-Charlotte train traffic jumps 200%
Raleigh-Charlotte train traffic jumps 200%
Raleigh-Charlotte train traffic jumps 200%
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George Harris
Engineer
I will quote the basic nnumbers from the article:
June 2009: 5,258 passengers / (4*30) trains = 43.8 passengers per train.
June 2010: 15,426 passengers / (4*60+2*25) trains = 90.7 passengers per train.
Thus, increasing the number of trains resulted in slightly more than double the number of passengers per train. Not too shabby, to say the least.
That adding trains on a short to medium length corridor would increase the number of passengers per train should be regarded as being as near predicible as sunrise, given the experiences in California in all three of their state supported corridors.
Further, these numbers should increase with time, given that it takes time for people to change their habits.
:hi: :hi: :hi:
That is to say, ridership nearly tripled overall. What is not clear in this article is whether these are all tickets sold to/from any point between Raleigh and Charlotte, or if it is only the tickets sold between these two cities. Either way:
June 2009: 5,258 passengers / (4*30) trains = 43.8 passengers per train.
June 2010: 15,426 passengers / (4*60+2*25) trains = 90.7 passengers per train.
Thus, increasing the number of trains resulted in slightly more than double the number of passengers per train. Not too shabby, to say the least.
That adding trains on a short to medium length corridor would increase the number of passengers per train should be regarded as being as near predicible as sunrise, given the experiences in California in all three of their state supported corridors.
Further, these numbers should increase with time, given that it takes time for people to change their habits.
:hi: :hi: :hi:
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abcnews
OBS Chief
Give credit to the State of NC. They are really trying to get people on trains. They spend a lot on subsidies, they spent a lot on renovating and restoring old stations (check out Wilson, NC - like a Santa Fe Depot - classic). And they promote the trains on their state highway maps, and along the highways, with large, colorful highway signs - "Ride the train" with an image of a diesel and the toll free number for rail information.
And now, they are pushing to build a high speed corridor, "short cut" to Washington, and putting back the old SAL/SCL mainline from Norlina, NC to Petersburg, VA (Raleigh to Richmond).
Throughout my lifetime - North Carolina has been really innovative for an Eastern State. They seem to do things right.
And now, they are pushing to build a high speed corridor, "short cut" to Washington, and putting back the old SAL/SCL mainline from Norlina, NC to Petersburg, VA (Raleigh to Richmond).
Throughout my lifetime - North Carolina has been really innovative for an Eastern State. They seem to do things right.
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I'll second that, NC has been one of the best states for promoting train service for over 15 years at least now. They were doing it before it actually became fashionable for states to promote train service.
battalion51
Engineer
Now if NC could just figure out how to get Major League Baseball I'd think about moving there...
abcnews
OBS Chief
Actually - the perfect location for the Florida Marlins would be.... Durham, NC. The "Durham Bulls". I also think the National League style and tradition would fit well in NC.
There are 8 million people in NC and no baseball. Charlotte already has NFL, NBA and Nascar, but the Raleigh-Durham metro area is actually very large - perhaps much larger than you would expect. And Durham is about in the center of the population - like 60 miles east of Greensboro and about 90 miles north of Fayetteville. So most of the 8 million residents could drive to a game, or take the train, and return home the same day.
Just my thoughts.... Sorry for the hijack.
There are 8 million people in NC and no baseball. Charlotte already has NFL, NBA and Nascar, but the Raleigh-Durham metro area is actually very large - perhaps much larger than you would expect. And Durham is about in the center of the population - like 60 miles east of Greensboro and about 90 miles north of Fayetteville. So most of the 8 million residents could drive to a game, or take the train, and return home the same day.
Just my thoughts.... Sorry for the hijack.
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battalion51
Engineer
How dare you. How dare you. The Florida (soon to be Miami) Marlins are right where they need to be. Wade County finally got their act together and realized what an asset the team is, and now a gorgeous park is under construction. I grew up with the Fish, and the Marlins calling anywhere but South Florida home just ain't right.
NE933
Conductor
It always boggles me that transportation planners are always surprised when ridership explodes when adding runs, and goes down when eliminating them. Makes me wonder if they forged their report cards in the math department whenn they were kids.
Ryan
Court Jester
That "gorgeous park" is on the site where the much famed Orange Bowl once stood, correct? I attended one game there (my ship was in Jacksonville for the weekend that my Hokies just happened to be down there, so a friend and I made the long trip), and the neighborhood was a bit sketchy, so the dump that the Orange Bowl was fit in nicely. Not sure how a new stadium is going to fir in quite the same way.
caravanman
Engineer
Hi,
I am not sure what times the trains ran at before more were added, but it isn't rocket science to conclude that having one train a day, like some places, arriving in the late evening through to 6am is not going to encourage ridership.
You would really have to want to go by train to board or arrive around 3am, rather than it being a civilized option.
By the way, what is this "baseball" that I hear about, some minor sport you guys play..?
Cheers,
Eddie
I am not sure what times the trains ran at before more were added, but it isn't rocket science to conclude that having one train a day, like some places, arriving in the late evening through to 6am is not going to encourage ridership.
You would really have to want to go by train to board or arrive around 3am, rather than it being a civilized option.
By the way, what is this "baseball" that I hear about, some minor sport you guys play..?
Cheers,
Eddie
Really? The Marlins' attendance numbers over the life of the franchise say otherwise and the average per game attendance over the past four years is horrid at 16,690. The Florida Marlins is the poster child (along with the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates) of how not to run a Major League Baseball team. While they're at it the NHL should either contract the Florida Panthers or move them to Winnipeg or Hamilton.
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Nice to see the growth in ridership and service in North Carolina. They seem to have adopted the California approach to supporting their service. I do wonder if it is possible to use the service either to attend Panthers or Hurricanes games.
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George Harris
Engineer
Service previously was a morning and a late afternoon departure from each end. The morning departure / evening arrival at Charlotte is the south end of a long distance day train originating in with New York on the other end.
It's something like cricket except done with a bat instead of a paddle. Also takes somewhat less than a week to play.By the way, what is this "baseball" that I hear about, some minor sport you guys play..?
Cheers,
Eddie
More news about the proposed high speed rail line. Would this be operated by Amtrak?
Residents rally against NC3 rail option
Southeast High Speed Rail
Residents rally against NC3 rail option
Southeast High Speed Rail
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I disagree. Your statement about getting people on trains is only true for those in eastern Carolina where the clique controls things. Here in the western part, we get little from the state. They promised us a train in 2005. Then they promised it in 2008. Now they just have vague promises of "future service". The fact is all the money goes to the eastern part of the state.
They did throw a lot of money away on refurbishing stations they will likely never use. Silly to have refurbished them before putting in any service. Now if and when we do get service, they'll be old and needing refurbishment again.
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You're referring to the proposed Asheville - Salisbury train, right? Isn't there also a proposed Raleigh - Wilmington train that has languished in study-land for years as well?
It would be nice if all the Republican obstructionists here in Ohio would read the article. I'm afraid the 3-C corridor here connecting Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati, part of the HSR money, is doomed. The Republican candidate for governor has said he will kill the proposal and my representative, Jay Hottinger, who has the swing vote on the committee that must approve spending has said he will not support it. They all call it a train nobody will ride. They have no idea.
Aloha
Have you specifically requested that he as your representative support this this project?
Yes I have, several times. Hottinger is one of those guys that is a bagman for the Party. He's never had an independant thought since being elected.
Today, the Columbus Dispatch ran an editorial whining about the cost of the proposed subsidies, $17 million per year. However, what they did not point out is the fact that would amount to less than one-half of 1% of the state Transportation budget for the year. Worse, Kasich, the anti-Amtrak candidate for governor, now has about a 13 point lead in the latest polls. It gets dimmer and dimmer for the 3-C corridor.
That's Ohio though, always a day late and a dollar short.
I'm afraid it's not just Ohio. The leading candidate for governor in Wisconsin is also very anti-rail (and anti-transit as well) and has repeatedly said he'd cancel the MKE-MSN Hiawatha extension if elected.
Service to Asheville or Wilmington will require a large investment. At a time when the state is laying off teachers, it's just not going to happen. Maybe in a few years when tax revenues are back up...or if Broome/New Hanover counties instituted a tourist tax to help pay for it...what are the local leaders in these cities doing to make it happen? Or is everyone just waiting for the DOT and the GA (both still controlled by the good-ol-boy down east network)?
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