North Carolina records ridership, revenue gains on Amtrak lines in FY2013

North Carolina's state-supported Amtrak routes, among the fastest-growing in the Amtrak system, set new ridership and revenue records in fiscal-year 2013, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

Ridership on the Carolinian route increased 3.6 percent to 317,550 and revenue rose 6.4 percent to more than $19.8 million compared with the previous fiscal year, NCDOT officials said in a press release. On the Piedmont route, ridership climbed 4.7 percent to 170,266, while revenue jumped 8.1 percent to more than $3.3 million.

FY2013 was the fourth consecutive fiscal year of growth for both routes, NCDOT officials said.

"The continued growth reflects the demand for rail services and the hard work of our rail employees to improve that service every day," said NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata.

The Piedmont operates two daily round trips between Raleigh and Charlotte; the Carolinian runs one daily round trip between New York City and Charlotte, with the state supporting the service between Charlotte and Washington, D.C. Amtrak operates both services with NCDOT's support.