Train travel isn’t just for liberals

In a growing state, we need long-term thinking — and rail deserves a place in the conversation.

I took the train to Raleigh last week — a quick up-and-back from Charlotte. Maybe you’ve done this trip before. It’s not bad.

The ride took about the same time as driving, but it was a lot more productive. You’ve got a good bit of elbow room to work, you’re not stressed in traffic, and you can send off a few emails even with spotty Wi-Fi.

On a Wednesday, I was surprised to find that the train was full both ways. Still, the limited schedule makes it hard to rely on. Train travel in North Carolina is still a novelty — something you do for a special event or a one-off trip, not a daily necessity.

But sitting there on the train, I got to thinking about what rail travel could and should be. North Carolina leaders have talked for decades about building better train service along the I-85 corridor: More departures, and maybe even high-speed rail. Every time, the idea gets brushed off — too expensive, too European, too unrealistic. Conservatives especially tend to roll their eyes.

I get it. California’s high-speed rail mess is a cautionary tale. And with self-driving cars getting closer to reality, investing in rail feels like betting on the wrong horse.

But I’m starting to wonder if that logic is too simplistic. What if we’re thinking about it all wrong?

Conservative principles are not incompatible with long-term vision.

North Carolina’s population is projected to grow nearly 50% over the next 35 years. That’s five million more people — and we need to ask how and where they’ll live, and then how to move them around.

In a growing state, I don’t think there’s any escaping a future massive investment in transportation infrastructure. Just try driving through towns like Apex, Waxhaw, or even Shelby in the late afternoon. The question just becomes what form it takes.

Because the problem’s only going to get worse. If our solution to rising housing costs is to build more homes — and it should be — those homes will be built in places like Wendell, Pittsboro, Midland, and Newton. Small towns within reach of bigger ones. And if we keep relying solely on wider highways and longer commutes, those places will clog up fast.

Road construction has limits. Even in a world of self-driving cars, there’s only so much space to pave. You can only add so many lanes for so many cars.

So maybe it’s time we revisit an old idea — not as a progressive fantasy, but as a serious, conservative solution.

There’s a certain kind of American novel where trains represent more than just transportation — they stand for order, ambition, and the discipline to build something enduring. Hank Rearden had his metal. Dagny Taggart had her railroad. These were symbols, yes — but of functionality, not fantasy.

Because when you think about it, what’s more conservative than a train? My hometown of Apex took its name from its position at the peak of a rail line. Railroads helped build this state once. Maybe they can help shape what comes next.

Foresight is sorely lacking

I’m not saying trains are a silver bullet. But if we want small towns to thrive, rural economies to connect, and young families to afford a life that doesn’t involve two-hour commutes or $600,000 mortgages — we’re going to need a new approach to transportation.

What if there was a way to live in Ahoskie and work in Raleigh? Or live in Rutherfordton and commute to Charlotte without wanting to die?

The first time Gov. Luther Hodges heard the idea for Research Triangle Park, he dismissed it as a huckster’s pitch. But he came around. It took decades — and foresight — to make RTP a success.

Politics doesn’t always lend itself to long-term thinking, but we need that kind of foresight again.

Quick hits

• It was a real honor to talk with Rufus Edmisten last week for my newspaper column. He’s a true statesman with decades of perspective on North Carolina politics, and he reminded me that the best public service often happens far from the national spotlight. That’s a message Jeff Jackson might want to hear. With Roy Cooper going quiet on a Senate run, Democrats may look to Jackson to chase the next shiny object in Washington. But ambition isn’t the same thing as leadership — and there’s more honor in doing the job you’ve got, and doing it well. Read the column here: Jeff Jackson might get the bug to run for Senate. He should swat it.

Important reads

• David Murdock, billionaire businessman who twice reshaped NC town, dies at 102 (Charlotte Observer)

• The banker who built Charlotte still has more to do (Charlotte Observer)

Top spenders on social media last week

Question of the week

Last week, I asked about your views of Gov. Josh Stein. The results were a little surprising.

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This week, I want a flash poll gut check on whether you think Roy Cooper is going to get into the Senate race or not. We’ll make it simple — yes or no.