Axios Raleigh By Zachery Eanes and Lucille Sherman

A $170 million investment into North Carolina's rail lines could significantly improve service on the state's Amtrak lines, the Piedmont and Carolinian, in the coming years.

Why it matters: Amtrak service between Raleigh and Charlotte is growing in popularity, setting record passenger numbers in 2023 — and it's on pace to break that record again this year. But due to existing infrastructure only around two-thirds of trains make it to their destination on schedule.

Driving the news: The U.S. Department of Transportation is granting the N.C. Railroad Company — a private company owned by the state that operates the Morehead City-to-Charlotte train line — $105.6 million to upgrade the rail line, Gov. Roy Cooper's office said.

• The funding is being matched by a $34 million grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation, a $17.8 million investment from the N.C. Railroad Company and $13 million from Norfolk Southern.

Zoom in: The investments into the rail will focus on changes that allow trains to go faster and add more passenger service.

• This includes reconstructing up to 69 miles of rail and adding over five miles of sidings to allow for passenger trains and freight trains to share the line more efficiently, U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross said in a statement.
• Areas that will see improvements include Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Hillsborough, Burlington and Greensboro.