the state introduced a second incarnation of the Carolinian. It ran along the same route as its 1984-85 predecessor, but joined the Palmetto at Rocky Mount. This incarnation was successful enough that within a year, Amtrak not only made the Carolinian permanent, but made it a full-fledged day train running independently from Charlotte to New York. Building on this success, NCDOT formed a Rail Unit, which was expanded to a full-fledged division in 1995. During this time, state officials pressed for additional service along the fast-growing I-85 Corridor. However, Amtrak initially balked, claiming that it didn't have enough rolling stock to spare. NCDOT decided to buy its own equipment. In the fall of 1990, NCDOT bought five repurposed coaches and leased two locomotives for the planned Charlotte-Raleigh service, named the Piedmont, which began service on May 25, 1995. It would have begun service sooner, but Norfolk Southern Railway, which operates the North Carolina Railroad under a longstanding lease with the state, insisted that the state build a wye in Charlotte to turn the trains around. Previously, the southbound Carolinian had to make a time-consuming 10-mile deadhead trip to the nearest wye in Pineville, North Carolina. A second round trip was added in 2010, followed by a third in 2018, with a fourth to come in 2021. Marketing and operations Unlike many states that subsidize Amtrak routes within their borders, North Carolina handles much of the marketing and operations for its state-subsidized services itself. It continued to distribute printed timetables for the Carolinian and Piedmont after Amtrak discontinued printed timetables. It operates a toll-free information line, 800-BY-TRAIN, which is staffed by North Carolinians. NCDOT also sets the schedules for the Piedmont and owns the equipment, though it is operated by Amtrak train crews. The NCDOT offers free transit passes which allow detraining Carolinian and Piedmont passengers to get one free bus ride and one transfer on the same day of travel. Passes are honored by 13 participating transit systems along its route. Routes Carolinian The Carolinian, operating since 1990 and in its current form since 1991, is a route from Charlotte to New York, running once daily in each direction. It serves Charlotte, Kannapolis, Salisbury, High Point, Greensboro, Burlington, Durham, Cary, Raleigh, Selma, Wilson and Rocky Mount before continuing to the Northeast Corridor via Richmond. North Carolina subsidizes the train from Charlotte to the Virginia border. It is augmented by three