A commissioned passenger rail study is recommending the proposed Wilmington to Raleigh passenger train service take a route that goes through Goldsboro, rather than Fayetteville.
Numerous reasons are cited in the April 2024 draft of the Southeastern North Carolina Passenger Rail Feasibility Study version produced by the WGI Inc. engineering firm of West Palm Beach. The report cites lower construction and maintenance costs and states that travel time between Wilmington and Raleigh would be about two hours and 35 minutes versus an hour more going through Fayetteville.
Another consideration is the need to have a second rail line connecting Wilmington and the State Port to the outside world for freight use, since currently a lone track via Lumberton services Wilmington with no backup.
The cost for the entire project (including rebuilding track from Castle Hayne to Wallace) is estimated to come in at $810 million versus $980 million (in 2023 dollars) for the Fayetteville route.
Fayetteville does get a consolation prize with passenger service from there to Raleigh to be expanded, according to current plans.
Preliminary federal grants of $500,000 have been awarded for both projects, as well as five other passenger rail projects in North Carolina. Future steps that require planning and eventual construction will require a mix of federal and state funding.
“This is excellent and exciting news,” said Gene Merritt of Eastern Carolina Rail, a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to returning passenger service to the Port City. “This report show we are finally on our way.”
Some of the funding will be used to upgrade tracks so trains can run at speeds up to 79 mph and re-establish passenger rail depot locations along the way.
One local project underway is a fundraising venture to save the historic Union Station in Goldsboro, not used for trains since 1968. A May 14 event called Save Our Station hopes to increase community awareness and spark fundraising efforts.
The report calls for passenger stops in Raleigh (Union Station), Clayton, Selma (at the existing Amtrak station), Goldsboro and Wilmington with two other additional sites to be chosen.
After a comment period for stakeholders this spring, a final feasibility study would lead to a Service Development Plan. Requiring a 10 percent state match to 90 percent federal funding, according to the draft report, “a Service Development Plan is a high-level business, operating, and capital plan with the objectives of demonstrating operational and financial feasibility.”
Annual ridership from Wilmington is expected to be upwards of 80,000 riders, according to the study, with three trains projected each day in both directions. Currently the only public transportation from Raleigh to Wilmington is by bus and air travel no longer connects Wilmington and Raleigh.
To view or download the entire 46 page Draft Feasibility Study, open the ECR website at www.easterncarolinarail.com and go to links. NC DOT-Rail can be contacted at 919-707-4700 or through its website at www.ncbytrain.org.
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