The North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) was chartered in 1849 as part of a state improvement effort. For some years, North Carolina had been considered the “Rip Van Winkle State,” asleep to progress, and people were ready for it to wake up and take advantage of economic opportunities. NCRR was meant to support an increase in trade and promote urbanization and industrial growth. The state subsidized the construction of the railroad and in return received three-fourths of stocks, making North Carolina the primary owner. Much of the work of building, maintaining, and operating the railroad was done by enslaved men. The enslavers who hired them out received money and stocks as payment, while the men received nothing for their work.
The railroad was completed in 1856 with 223 miles of tracks traveling in a crescent from Goldsboro through Raleigh and Salisbury before ending in Charlotte. Hillsborough was home to one of the first stations, as it was a population center. Towns grew along its route, creating what is known today as the Piedmont Urban Crescent. The railroad was a financial success, not just for NCRR itself, but also for the state, as the trade of North Carolinian goods increased across the country.
The railroad played a role in the Civil War, being one of the last operating Confederate railways, moving soldiers and supplies. After the Civil War, the railroad began to be leased to private companies, starting in 1871 when it was leased to the Richmond & Danville Railroad. During this period additional stations began to pop up around North Carolina, including the Carrboro and University Stations. The railroad was leased to Southern Railway, now Norfolk Southern, in 1895, a deal that would last for nearly a century.
In 1989, NCRR absorbed the state-controlled Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad, adding 94 more miles to its route. North Carolina bought all remaining private shares of NCRR in 1998, rendering it entirely state-owned. In 1999 the railroad was leased to the Norfolk Southern Corporation, a deal that continues to the current day. Amtrak and CSX also use portions of the track.