Wilson and Selma, NC

[Greginphx]

Pardon my ignorance, but is there no Silver Service (Star or Meteor) at Wilson and/or Selma, NC. Don't those trains run through those cities on the same tracks as the Palmetto and Carolinian?

If I am correct, pax in Wilson and Selma that want to travel to Florida have to drive to Raleigh to catch the same train that goes through their cities?

Thanks in advance for the expert replies!

 

[the_traveler]

One reason is most LD trains do not make the same stops as other trains do along the same route. A case in point is that neither of the Silvers, the Cardinal and I believe the Crescent do not stop at BWI Airport (train station), yet many Regionals and Acelas do.

 

[xyzzy]

If I am correct, pax in Wilson and Selma that want to travel to Florida have to drive to Raleigh to catch the same train that goes through their cities?

No, take the Carolinian from Wilson or Selma to Raleigh and connect to the Silver Star there. Or if the Amtrak computer will permit, catch the Palmetto north from Wilson or Selma to Rocky Mount and board the Silver Star there. In any event I would not drive to Raleigh because parking at the station is very limited. If you don't want to take a connecting train, I suggest driving to Rocky Mount (where parking is plentiful) and boarding the Silver Star there.

The other alternative is to drive to Rocky Mount or Fayetteville and catch the Silver Meteor there.

 

[Greginphx]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[fairviewroad]

No, take the Carolinian from Wilson or Selma to Raleigh and connect to the Silver Star there.

Just keep in mind that this requires a 4 1/2 hour layover in Raleigh heading south bound, though the north bound

layover is mercifully shorter at just 90 minutes or so. (or less, if the Star is running late)

 

[RampWidget]

If I am correct, pax in Wilson and Selma that want to travel to Florida have to drive to Raleigh to catch the same train that goes through their cities?

No, take the Carolinian from Wilson or Selma to Raleigh and connect to the Silver Star there. Or if the Amtrak computer will permit, catch the Palmetto north from Wilson or Selma to Rocky Mount and board the Silver Star there. In any event I would not drive to Raleigh because parking at the station is very limited. If you don't want to take a connecting train, I suggest driving to Rocky Mount (where parking is plentiful) and boarding the Silver Star there.

The other alternative is to drive to Rocky Mount or Fayetteville and catch the Silver Meteor there.

xyzzy is right. Rocky Mount is good advice. It's only 15 or so miles north of Wilson, and not much further than that from Selma. Plus, the parking lot is behind the station and sits near the City of Rocky Mount Police headquarters, so security is pretty good at that location. From RMT, you have your pick of either of the Silvers.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

One thing I wonder is if skipping the stops allow a faster schedule for the SS/SM compared to Palmetto/Carolinian, even if only by a few minutes.

One reason is most LD trains do not make the same stops as other trains do along the same route. A case in point is that neither of the Silvers, the Cardinal and I believe the Crescent do not stop at BWI Airport (train station), yet many Regionals and Acelas do.

This makes sense. Passengers travelling LD would not find much reason to go to BWI for a flight.

 

[xyzzy]

I'll add: if you're determined to drive and don't want to backtrack to Rocky Mount, Cary is a good alternative. There is much more parking at the new Cary station than at Raleigh.

 

[Nathanael]

Generally, trains running longer distances always have fewer stops, so that they can make up some extra time by not stopping.

In the old days, there was often an express which skipped stations and a local which stopped at more stations; the Silver Meteor was always the express train, and the Palmetto the local, back to before the beginning of Amtrak. This is why Wilson is a stop on the Palmetto and not the Silver Meteor.

Historically, some stations were specifically added for "corridor trains only" on routes where there was just a long-distance train -- such as in California on the Capitol Corridor which stops at a bunch of stations which the California Zephyr blows straight past. The history of Selma is like this; it was added to the Palmetto route in 1982.

The Silver Star was originally the 'express' train on a different route (the Seaboard Air Line in Virginia and North Carolina) which was closed, and when it was rerouted to a slower route only one station was added (Rocky Mount) to keep the speed up.

(Actually it's interesting to realize that the Silver Star and Silver Meteor were originally on almost entirely separate routes, the Star being on the Seaboard Air Line route and the Meteor being on the Atlantic Coast Line route. The current common sections are the result of the abandonment of the Seaboard route north of Raleigh, abandonment of the Seaboard route from Savannah to Jacksonville, abandonment of the Atlantic Coast Line route from Jacksonville to Tampa / St. Petersburg, and abandonment of the route from Coleman to Auburndale in Florida. The result is meandering routes which go out of their way to stay on track which still exists. South Carolina is extraordinarily lucky that both the route through Charleston and the route through Columbia still exist.)

 

[xyzzy]

(Actually it's interesting to realize that the Silver Star and Silver Meteor were originally on almost entirely separate routes, the Star being on the Seaboard Air Line route and the Meteor being on the Atlantic Coast Line route.

Incorrect. All the "Silver" trains, including the Silver Comet between NY and Birmingham, were Seaboard. The ACL named trains were the Champion, Everglades, Miamian, Palmetto, etc. At the time of Amtrak's inception the Silver Meteor ran through Raleigh and Columbia. Eventually Amtrak discontinued the Champion, moved the Silver Meteor to the ex-ACL, and restored the Palmetto (which was called the Silver Palm for a while).

The history of these trains post-1967 when the ACL and SAL merged is quite convoluted. SCL began rationalizing the parallel ACL and SAL routes right away, but the process took 25 years to complete.

 

[Greginphx]

Generally, trains running longer distances always have fewer stops, so that they can make up some extra time by not stopping.

In the old days, there was often an express which skipped stations and a local which stopped at more stations; the Silver Meteor was always the express train, and the Palmetto the local, back to before the beginning of Amtrak. This is why Wilson is a stop on the Palmetto and not the Silver Meteor.

Historically, some stations were specifically added for "corridor trains only" on routes where there was just a long-distance train -- such as in California on the Capitol Corridor which stops at a bunch of stations which the California Zephyr blows straight past. The history of Selma is like this; it was added to the Palmetto route in 1982.

The Silver Star was originally the 'express' train on a different route (the Seaboard Air Line in Virginia and North Carolina) which was closed, and when it was rerouted to a slower route only one station was added (Rocky Mount) to keep the speed up.

(Actually it's interesting to realize that the Silver Star and Silver Meteor were originally on almost entirely separate routes, the Star being on the Seaboard Air Line route and the Meteor being on the Atlantic Coast Line route. The current common sections are the result of the abandonment of the Seaboard route north of Raleigh, abandonment of the Seaboard route from Savannah to Jacksonville, abandonment of the Atlantic Coast Line route from Jacksonville to Tampa / St. Petersburg, and abandonment of the route from Coleman to Auburndale in Florida. The result is meandering routes which go out of their way to stay on track which still exists. South Carolina is extraordinarily lucky that both the route through Charleston and the route through Columbia still exist.)

(Actually it's interesting to realize that the Silver Star and Silver Meteor were originally on almost entirely separate routes, the Star being on the Seaboard Air Line route and the Meteor being on the Atlantic Coast Line route.

Incorrect. All the "Silver" trains, including the Silver Comet between NY and Birmingham, were Seaboard. The ACL named trains were the Champion, Everglades, Miamian, Palmetto, etc. At the time of Amtrak's inception the Silver Meteor ran through Raleigh and Columbia. Eventually Amtrak discontinued the Champion, moved the Silver Meteor to the ex-ACL, and restored the Palmetto (which was called the Silver Palm for a while).

The history of these trains post-1967 when the ACL and SAL merged is quite convoluted. SCL began rationalizing the parallel ACL and SAL routes right away, but the process took 25 years to complete.

This is the kind of poignant information I was after. You guys are the best. Thanks for your time replying!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Generally, trains running longer distances always have fewer stops, so that they can make up some extra time by not stopping.

In the old days, there was often an express which skipped stations and a local which stopped at more stations; the Silver Meteor was always the express train, and the Palmetto the local, back to before the beginning of Amtrak. This is why Wilson is a stop on the Palmetto and not the Silver Meteor.

Wait, I thought that the Palmland and Sunland were the secondary trains to the SS/SM/OBS. The original Palmetto was an ACL train, not SCL, and did not run on the same line as the SS/SM/OBS/Palmland/Sunland. The Palmetto was also an ACL express train, NOT a local.