Join the discussion on the following article:
Oklahoma passenger specials sell out
These are excursion trains and shouldn’t be confused with general passenger trains. The only way this track will see regular passenger service is if, if the ‘Eastern’ Flyer would connect with the ‘Heartland’ Flyer and continue on to Ft Worth, TX. And that’s if the new owner of the track between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, will allow it.
90 or so. This use to be bn tracks that at one time was in pretty good shape. If this is a success they may improve the tracks to make it a 2 hour or so. Its a hour and a half trip by car on the turner turnpike.
How many miles is the route?
Previously the route was Frisco, running from St. Louis to OKC and on occasions on to Lawton. The cost to rehabilitate the tracks of Amtrak standards would be astronomical if not prohibitive.
At a million dollars a mile for new ribbion rail its 100 million at least just to get track up to speed to compete with the turnpike. Not gonna happen im guessing.
Being from oklahoma ive traveled that road many times and one little accident can have traffic backed up for miles,not to mention the summertime construction season that will have you down to one lane in each direction several times in those 90 miles or so. As a railroader id like to see a class one take it over and run it the way it use back in the day. We will see.
To upgrade that line to passenger train standards will make sense in a long run. As fuel prices keep climbing, the train will become an attractive alternative. Besides cost for widening the highways will be astronomical, especially in urban areas where eminent domain will be used to acquire the properties for the right of way.
I think this is a demo program to have Tulsa become the next link in the Heartland Flyer’s line. There still is a lot of interest in extending this to K.C. (Like the original AMTRAK route did out of Ft. Worth.) Dallas did not have a AMTRAK train back in 1971.
It’s a little or 100 rail miles to Oklahoma City with a maximum speed of 25 MPH and there are several slow orders (maximum speed 10 MPH).
So it will be just slightly over the promised 3 hours. My wife says they will smooth over that rough road bed with plenty of liquor and food.
you can drive from Tulsa to okc in an hour and half on the turnpike at 75 mph and it costs $4.50 , & have your car to get around the city. the view is about the same either by rail or car!. how long do you think people will want to ride the train, especially after they experience the delays that a train always encounters, I know I work for a class 1 railroad in that area.
This reads as a railfan trip…So why is everyone assuming passenger rail service, upgrades, and etc.
The real problem with this routing is the two terminus points. The east end should be in Tulsa, not Sapulpa. (Problem there is now you get BNSF into the picture.) The west end should be Oklahoma City, not Midwest City. Same problem as mentioned above. Having ridden the Hearland Flyer when it ran out of vodka at 9:00 AM I know those Okies will enjoy the refreshments on this excursion and won’t care about the speed or the routing.
Heartland Flyer then extends to Tulsa, Joplin, Branson? Rolla, St. Louis.