NS Freight Passes Through Asheville

WASHINGTON – North Carolina’s Amtrak corridor trains experienced record ridership gains in and posted double-digit ticket revenue increases Fiscal Year 2008. Collectively, the North Carolina state-supported Carolinian and Piedmont services carried 361,368 passengers and brought in more than $17 million in ticket revenue. Amtrak’s long-distance trains that travel through North Carolina also saw significant growth in FY08. Nationwide, Amtrak ridership in Fiscal Year 2008 increased to 28,716,407, marking the sixth straight year of gains and setting a record for the most passengers using Amtrak trains since the National Railroad Passenger Corporation started operations in 1971. The fiscal year ended September

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has awarded roughly $12 million in grant funds to North Carolina short line railroads.

The federal government has sued Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern, saying the company is violating federal law by delaying Amtrak’s Crescent trains that operate between New York and New Orleans.