Train Coverage

Tar Heel Traveler: Bonsal Train in southwestern Wake County

This weekend marks the 40th anniversary of the New Hope Valley Railway in Bonsal, and hundreds of people have bought tickets to ride the old train. Tar Heel Traveler captured a recent ride, four miles of historic track through the woods of Wake County, from Bonsal to New Hill and back.

Tar Heel Traveler: Warrenton Trains

On Feb. 21, 1848, the longest rail line opened in North Carolina and ran 90 miles from Raleigh to Weldon. On Wednesday, Tar Heel Traveler Scott Mason met a railroad historian and train collector in Warrenton to explore a hayloft with model trains.

Person struck by train near Hoke and Blount Streets in Raleigh

Raleigh authorities are investigating a pedestrian-train collision that occurred Friday evening near the intersection of South Blount Street and Hoke Street.

Downtown Raleigh neighbors sound alarm on constant train horns; city looking into 'quiet zone'

Raleigh is taking a look at silencing train horns. A growing number of downtown Raleigh neighbors are calling on the city to silence train horns as they pass through.

Matt Talhelm, WRAL reporter

Some in Raleigh hope for silence from train noise

Raleigh leaders are considering silencing train horns so those who live downtown can rest a little easier.

SC man takes love of trains to new level

A South Carolina man has taken his love of trains to a whole new level. George Thomas runs this model railroad as through it was a real working railroad.

$1 billion is just the start for more direct rail between Raleigh, Richmond

The U.S. Department of Transportation will grant $1 billion to connect Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia, with a new passenger rail route.

Matt Talhelm, WRAL reporter

Why doesn't the US have more passenger trains?

Los Angeles (CNN) -- If your idea of train travel - fast, easy, ubiquitous, even glamorous - is from movies like "Before Sunrise" or "Bullet Train" set in Europe or Asia, you'll be surprised to learn that the US was once the world's superpower in passenger trains. With a busy transcontinental network of 254,000 miles of tracks at its height a little over a century ago, America moved on trains.

By Samantha Delouya, CNN

Gov. Cooper takes train from Raleigh to Greensboro to tout record ridership

Gov. Roy Cooper traveled from Raleigh to Greensboro on Friday via train to tout the benefits of public transportation and record ridership for the NC by Train system.

LIz McLaughlin, WRAL climate change reporter

Gov. Cooper takes train to Greensboro to tout rail ridership

On Friday, Gov. Roy Cooper took an Amtrak train from Raleigh to Greensboro to highlight increased ridership for the NC By Train program.

Train crashes into stalled car on Fayetteville Street in Durham

A train crashed into a car on Fayetteville Street in Durham on Friday night.

Carly Haynes, WRAL reporter

Woman hit and killed by Amtrak passenger train in Hillsborough

A woman was hit and killed by a passenger train Tuesday in Hillsborough.

Man survives with minor injuries after being hit by train in Durham

A man was hit by a train on Saturday night in Durham - but fortunately survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

Tar Heel Traveler: Lionel Trains

The Lionel Train Company is based in Concord near Charlotte and it was the site of the big annual gathering of the Train Collectors Club of America from July 24 to July 29.

Person hit, killed by train Sunday night in Raleigh

Police said the accident happened on Pullen Road at Baver Drive

Carly Haynes, WRAL reporter

WRAL Investigates the local emergency plan for a potential train derailment disaster

WRAL investigates the local emergency plan for a potential train derailment disaster, and asks why we're left in the dark about the hazardous materials traveling through the Triangle.

Raw: Rescuers search for survivors in train crash that killed over 260 in India

Rescuers in India ended the search for survivors as the death toll from a train crash rose to more than 260 people. Hundreds of people were also injured.

Fuquay-Varina town commissioner advocates for railway safety in Washington

Fuquay-Varina town commissioner William Harris spoke on behalf of improving railroad safety. Harris said he grew up near a track in Fuquay-Varina.

Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Pedestrian hit, killed by train on Blue Ridge Road Tuesday night

The accident happened on Blue Ridge Road, near Dorton Arena

Eric Miller, WRAL multimedia journalist

'Fully preventable tragedy': Person hit, killed by train in Dunn

A person was struck by a train and killed in Dunn.

Fact check: Did Trump rail rule repeal affect Ohio train derailment?

After a train derailment caused a toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, a liberal advocacy group claimed: "Obama imposed stricter rules on trains carrying toxins. Trump killed them." PolitiFact checks that claim.

Sara Swann, PolitiFact reporter

New report shows Triangle area commuter rail project faces many issues

While a new commuter rail to connect Wake and Durham counties has been in the work for years. A new report outlines some of the issues that may stall the project. WRAL spoke with those involved in the project about where it stands.

Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter

Rocky Mount getting $3 million for downtown walking bridge over train tracks

The new federal spending bill secures $3 million to build a pedestrian bridge across the train tracks running through downtown Rocky Mount.

Kenan Willard, WRAL eastern North Carolina reporter

Pedestrian hit, killed by train in Moore County

A pedestrian died from being hit by a train on Thursday in Moore County.

Take the Kids: Polar Express ride along the Great Smoky Mountains Railway

Tara Lynn and her family recently enjoyed a special Polar Express train ride in the mountains of North Carolina. Check out her experience and find out how early you need to buy tickets.

Tara Lynn. WRAL contributor