Heartland Flyer
Amtrak's Heartland Flyer is a daily train that follows a 206-mile (332-km) route between Fort Worth, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
On June 14, 1999, after a 20 year absence, passenger rail service between Oklahoma and Texas was reinstated, The Heartland Flyer has proven to be very successful[citation needed] and popular with Amtrak patrons, achieving a number one customer satisfaction rating for several years running[citation needed]. First-year ticket sales reached 71,400 passengers, superseeding Amtrak's original 25,000 projection[citation needed]. The Heartland Flyer typically averages 58,000 tickets sold annually[citation needed].
BNSF rails exist into Kansas that could support a through route for a connection with the Chicago to Los Angeles Southwest Chief, however Oklahoma and Kansas legislative funding has not been forthcoming for such an expansion. Amtrak serves as a contractor for the state of Oklahoma charging the state on average $3.9 million annually[citation needed].
The train serves a portion of the former Chicago-Houston Lone Star route.
The route ties into the national passenger rail system in Fort Worth through the Texas Eagle which serves San Antonio and Los Angeles, California and Chicago. Trinity Railway Express provides service to Dallas where a connection to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system provides connections to several cities in the Dallas area. Oklahoma City is the train's current northern terminal.
Station stops
The Heartland Flyer runs as trains 821 southbound and 822 northbound, connecting at Fort Worth to trains 21 and 22 of the Texas Eagle for continuing service south and west. The train makes the following station stops:
Equipment
Locomotives usually used on the Heartland Flyer are the GE P42DC AMD-103 series locomotives. Secondary locomotives are the P32-8WH locomotives. Rolling stock includes Heritage Fleet ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level Coaches, and Superliners. On the end of the train opposite of the locomotive, Non-Powered Control Units (NPCUs), also known an Cab Control/Baggage Cars (CCBs or Cabbages) made out of former Amtrak EMD F40PHs are used.
A typical Heartland Flyer passenger car consist:
- Heritage Hi-Level Coach
- Superliner Coach
- Heritage Hi-Level Coach
- NPCU/CCB
2005 Oklahoma City rally
The train was threatened with discontinuance during 2005; however, regional passenger rail advocates came out in force on April 11, 2005, for a state capitol rally sponsored by PassengerRailOk.org. Keynote speaker, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett addressed the crowd along with the mayors of Perry, Guthrie, and Purcell, Oklahoma, encouraging the state to expand the train into Kansas.
The rally convinced state lawmakers to keep the Heartland Flyer in operation for at least one more year. The Oklahoma Legislature passed, and Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed House Bill 1078 that provided an annual $2 million subsidy to continue the service.
Future service
Expansion planning revolves around the former Lone Star route between Kansas City and Oklahoma City. Another planned route would connect Tulsa with Oklahoma City. The area served by the Heartland Flyer is prioritized as part of the ISTEA South Central Corridor and is slated to be upgraded to high-speed rail service when funding becomes available. The Oklahoma portion of this routing would be from Tulsa through Oklahoma City to Fort Worth.
| Amtrak routes |
|---|
| South
Auto Train - Carolinian - City of New Orleans - Crescent - Palmetto - Piedmont - Heartland Flyer - Silver Meteor - Silver Star - Sunset Limited - Texas Eagle |
External links
- PassengerRailOk.org
- Heartland Flyer - Amtrak site
- Heartland Flyer Official Website
