Rocky Mount station

Rocky Mount, NC
Front lobby of the Rocky Mount station.
General information
Other names	Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station
Location	101 Hammond Street Rocky Mount, North Carolina United States
Coordinates	35°56′17″N 77°47′52″W / 35.9380°N 77.7977°W / 35.9380; -77.7977
Owned by	City of Rocky Mount
Line(s)	North End Subdivision
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Bus routes	8
Bus stands	7
Bus operators	Greyhound Lines Tar River Transit
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	35 spaces
Bicycle facilities	Racks
Accessible	Yes
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival
Other information
Station code	Amtrak: RMT
History
Opened	1893
Rebuilt	1911-12, 1916, 1997-2000
Original company	Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Passengers
FY 2023	46,006[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Wilson toward Charlotte Carolinian Petersburg toward New York Wilson toward Savannah Palmetto Fayetteville toward Miami Silver Meteor Raleigh toward Miami Floridian Petersburg toward Chicago      Auto Train does not stop here
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Raleigh toward Miami Silver Star Petersburg toward New York Preceding station Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Following station South Rocky Mount toward Tampa Main Line Battleboro toward Richmond Nashville toward Lassiter Nashville Branch Terminus Terminus Kinston Branch Tarboro toward Kinston Norfolk – Rocky Mount Tarboro toward Norfolk
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Official name	Atlantic Coastline Railroad Station
Designated	June 19, 1980
Part of	Rocky Mount Central City H.D.
Reference no.	80002826, 09000659[2]
Architectural style	None Specified
Location

Rocky Mount station, officially the Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station, is an intermodal transit station in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States. Its main building serves as an Amtrak train station, while an adjacent building serves as the bus terminus for the Tar River Transit and as a Greyhound stop. The station is located just south of downtown Rocky Mount and is part of the Rocky Mount Central City Historic District.

Rocky Mount station was originally built in 1893 by the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, in dark red brick Romanesque Revival style. After the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad bought the W&WR, they rebuilt the station between 1911 and 1912, and again in 1916. During the 1960s ACL built a modern structure within the station to store switches and signal equipment before the railroad was merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad.

In 1995, the 2.23-acre (0.90 ha) property, which included the station and a former REA Express freight house (c. 1930), was sold to the City of Rocky Mount. Between 1997 and 2000, the station was restored to its early 20th century design features, with additional accessible-compliant platforms and other amenities.^[3] The freight house was converted into a bus terminal for the Tar River Transit and Greyhound stop. In 2010, the station was named after Helen P. Gay, a former member of the Rocky Mount City Council who was instrumental in the station's restoration project.^[4]

Former ACL office car #303 is on display next to the station.^[5] Former ACL "Whopper Hopper" 500000 that had been on display at the station was donated to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in 2018.^[6]

The train station, operated by Amtrak, provides inter-city rail service via four routes: Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor and Floridian. The facility is open 24-hours, which includes the ticket office, passenger assistance, baggage service and the waiting area.^[7]

The bus terminal, operated by Tar River Transit, provides eight bus routes that operate Monday-Friday at 6:45am–6:45pm and Saturday at 9:15am–5:45pm, closed on Sunday.^[8] Greyhound operate, including package express and ticket office, Monday-Friday at 7:30am–1:30pm, 3:30pm–5:30pm and Saturday at 7:30am–12:00pm.^[9]

Media related to Rocky Mount (Amtrak station) at Wikimedia Commons

• Rocky Mount, NC – Amtrak
• Rocky Mount, NC – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
• Rocky Mount Station – NC By Train
• Rocky Mount Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
• Early 20th Century Post Card