‘My American Brain Could Hardly Take It’: Even Italian Villages Have Train Stations

While visiting Italy, Morganton resident Bella Gialluca was blown away by the fact that even villages have train stations, a stark contrast with the United States’ car-centric culture.

It’s a shame so many North Carolinians have to travel to Europe before experiencing the splendors of passenger rail.

But such is the case living in a car-centric country that has chosen to sink hundreds of billions of dollars over the past 50 years into roads and highways rather than bolster train service.

It often takes traveling to realize how much a lack of passenger train infrastructure robs us.

“While studying abroad in Italy, I took a number of memorable train rides that were not just notable for their beautiful views, but also for their convenience and efficiency,” explains Bella Gialluca, a University of Florida student whose family has lived in Morganton for several years. “It felt ridiculous to me that we can’t have such extensive train travel across the United States. Although we do to some degree, I have never lived in an area with train access.”

Reflecting on her most impactful train experience, a trip between Florence and La Spezia, Italy stands out the most clearly in her mind. It also happened to be her first train ride.

The simplicity of it caught her off guard.

“I was so nervous because I had no idea what to expect,” the twenty-one-year-old says. “Buying the ticket on the app was suspiciously simple, and since it was an early morning train, I worried about missing it. My roommates had just gotten home from the club 30 minutes before I left to catch my train—they were taking a different train an hour later. I got to the train station and onto the correct train after quadruple-checking the numbers.”

Fortunately, her anxieties were quickly put to rest once she stepped aboard, describing the passenger car as “nice and quiet.”

She paints a picture that’s truly foreign to Americans accustomed to only major metropolitan areas having passenger train and light rail service. Here, we get a glimpse of a future we one day may be able to enjoy in the States.

“The train made many stops before reaching the city, all at little Italian villages with no more than 15 houses each,” she continues. “I imagine Morganton as being one of these little villages in the system of the Asheville-Salisbury line. I arrived in La Spezia relaxed and feeling rested even after about three hours of travel.”

Contrast that with the body aches, disquiet, and exhaustion that accompany automotive travel.

Plus, if your plans change or you somehow sleep past your designated time, Europe’s rail system is reliable enough that you won’t miss much sleep catching another train.

“My roommates, of course, missed their train but were able to catch the next one 30 minutes later,” Gialluca laughs. “I was amazed at the convenience of it all. My American brain could hardly take it—how could one travel without having to get gas, being stuck in traffic, and then having to sketchily street-park in a big city?”

Establishing consistent train stations across the United States enables rural municipalities, such as Morganton, Marion, and Old Fort, to become more easily connected to larger cities while retaining their so-called “small-town lifestyles.”

Gialluca also sees passenger rail as a way to make higher education more affordable, as well.

“I believe passenger rail would provide our community with easier access to important North Carolina hubs like Raleigh and Charlotte without the hassle of mountain highway commutes,” she says. “Moreover, convenient travel within North Carolina and to other states might make it easier for people with few nearby options to pursue higher-level education.”

With the restoration of the Asheville-Salisbury line gaining momentum, however, she most looks forward to “riding through the mountains.”

As has been stated before, making that a reality in the next five to seven years will depend heavily on you.

“Everything in this business is about local interest and local advocacy,” states Jason Orthner, Director of North Carolina’s Department of Transportation’s Rail Division. “It is amazing what projects come about because people want them, will use them, and need them. The stronger the message, the more they do become real. By lobbying city and county officials to issue formal statements backing the project, residents can influence the way NCDOT allocates money.”

Elected officials need to hear regularly from local citizens about our support for restoring passenger rail to western North Carolina.

Have you reached out to your state representative or senator recently?

If not, now’s a good time to draft that email you’ve been thinking about sending.

Bella Gialluca is currently an undergraduate at the University of Florida, but her family has lived in Morganton, North Carolina for many years.