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, NC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editRocky 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]
Services
editThe 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]
References
edit- ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of North Carolina" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
- ^ "Rocky Mount Station Improvements (NCDOT Rail)". Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
- ^ Cooper, Geoffrey (March 22, 2010). "Community celebrates Helen Gay's birthday". Rocky Mount Telegram. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
- ^ Pictures of ACL 303 (RR Picture Archives)
- ^ "N.C. Transportation Museum on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022.[user-generated source]
- ^ "Rocky Mount, North Carolina Train Station (RMT) - Amtrak". Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Tar River Transit: General Service Information". Retrieved April 28, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Rocky Mount NC Bus Station - Greyhound". Retrieved April 28, 2018.
External links
edit Media related to Rocky Mount (Amtrak station) at Wikimedia Commons