(The Associated Press circulated the following on December 21.)
RALEIGH, N.C. — Amtrak is enjoying success in North Carolina, but it’s causing problems for one of its busiest – and smallest – stations in the Southeast.
The News & Observer of Raleigh reported that last year, more than 140,000 riders used the six trains that stop each day at the modest brick station just south and west of downtown Raleigh. There are only 57 parking spaces.
“If you go down there, it’s a danged zoo because of all they’re trying to fit in,” said Patrick B. Simmons, Rail Division chief for the state Department of Transportation.
A record Thanksgiving crush saw as many as 900 passengers a day using the 4,700-square-foot station.
Amtrak will call in extra workers to manage the holiday crunch. Many Christmas travelers will have to leave their cars several blocks away in a parking deck.
Next summer will create a new problem. Amtrak will launch expanded service between Raleigh and Charlotte with a pair of trains leaving the two cities at midday. Amtrak asks riders to catch a ride or take a taxi to the Raleigh station.
“But that only gets us so far,” said Mike Jerew, Amtrak operations manager for North Carolina. “We don’t want to stunt our growth. We’re hoping people aren’t turned off by our current situation. We’re strapped at this facility.”
Amtrak passenger counts were up 11 percent nationwide and 20 percent in North Carolina during the fiscal year that ended in September – and not just because of $4 gas.
“We haven’t seen a corresponding decrease in demand as gas prices have come down below $2,” said Jeff Mann, a regional Amtrak manager based in Raleigh. In October and November, the Raleigh station measured a 27 percent increase over the same two months in 2007.
Even with lower gas prices, Amtrak passengers say they have plenty of reasons to stick with the train.
“It’s still cheaper for me,” said Ted Manby, 48, a Wake Forest pastor who rode the Amtrak Piedmont from Raleigh to Charlotte last week.
“It’s better on my back to be able to stretch,” Manby said. “There’s no stress from the traffic. I’m able to not lose that seven hours all driving. I’m able to read or bring my laptop — and plug it in right here.
“And it’s actually faster,” he added.
It appears the trend for North Carolina will continue in January.
The Charlotte Observer reported Sunday that Amtrak officials said they had received almost 4,000 reservations for the two routes running through North Carolina from Jan. 16 to Jan. 23. Those dates include the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Jan. 20.
“We track ridership by route, not necessarily destination, but all of these routes serve Washington, D.C., and the increases are so dramatic that we know we can attribute them to the inauguration,” said Karina Romero, an Amtrak spokeswoman.
More than 2,000 people have reserved seats on the Carolinian route, which runs through Raleigh and Charlotte. That marks a 296 percent increase over the same period last year.
If you want to go to the inauguration in style, J.P. Henderson is offering space on two luxury rail cars attached to Amtrak trains heading to Washington.
The rail cars, which leave from Charlotte, carry 25 people and offer bedrooms for 16. Bedrooms cost $3,600 and sleep two.
Customers arrive in Washington on Jan. 16. Once there, the cars will park at Union Station, blocks from the ceremony. Customers can use the cars as hotel rooms, and all food and drink are covered. A chef has been retained for the entire trip.
The rail cars return home Jan. 22.