Amtrak’s G.K. Butterfield Station Receives Upgrades
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Amtrak
WILSON, N.C. - Amtrak's G.K. Butterfield Station received renovations as part of a $4 million project with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the City of Wilson, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and CSX.
G.K. Butterfield Station gives Amtrak passengers access to a 435-foot-long concrete platform to board on and off the train. There is also a detectable warning system along the platform’s edge to give alerts to customers who are blind or have low vision if they are too close to the edge of said platform. Additionally, there are guardrails, signage, and more lighting. The station sees Amtrak’s Carolinian and Palmetto daily, with the Carolinian carrying passengers between Charlotte and New York and the Palmetto carrying passengers between New York and Savannah, Ga.
The station project is part of Amtrak’s larger effort to advance 144 station designs and 63 station construction projects and to provide accessibility by 2029. Since 2011, Amtrak has invested more than $900 million in these accessibility upgrades and improvement projects at 127 stations. In FY2024, 10 stations have been brought into ADA-compliance. For FY2025, a projected 41 stations are expected to be brought into ADA-compliance at an expected investment of $235 million.
Amtrak Vice President of Accessibility Dr. David Handera said, “Providing an accessible travel experience is a top priority and we’re actively advancing construction, renovation, repair, and upgrade projects at stations across our national network. . . We are pleased we delivered these improvements to the station and for our customers and community.”
“We’re proud to work in partnership with the City of Wilson, Amtrak, CSX and the FRA to make these significant improvements to the G.K. Butterfield Station,” said Jason Orthner, NCDOT Rail Division Director. “Ensuring all riders have access to safe and convenient train travel guarantees future growth and success of passenger rail in North Carolina and beyond.”
