Amtrak Heartland Flyer Discussion and Possible Extension

[electricron]

It remains in downtown Fort Worth for refueling and minor maintenance in the open area between the terminal tracks and the BNSF tracks. For more complex maintenance, the cars and locos use the Texas Eagle to swap them out deadheading them to Chicago and eventually elsewhere as needed.
My view of Google Earth shows a three car, two loco Heartland Flyer at the station platform in Fort Worth, with an additional car and loco just to the south where the minor maintenance is performed.
Hope this helps!

[jt42cwr]

Thanks, that tells me what I need to know, though not sure why my in google earth/maps the station is deserted.

[georgewerr]

Sometimes with Google earth, when you scroll in it will change pictures but not always, I've seen it come in with a winter scene when it was a summer scene when it was not scrolled in.

[electricron]

The cost estimations to achieve good passenger services and speeds up to 90 mph exceeded $200 million in three phases. Here's the breakdown:
Phase 1
Construction of wye track in OKC $8.8 million
Construction of bypass track in Tulsa $14.6 million
Resurfacing the existing line $29.2 million
Alignment improvements $38 million (includes realigning 43 curves)
Subtotal = 90.6 million

Phase 2
Realigning an additional 25 curves and signal improvements $81.8 million

Phase 3
Additional improvements including 37 miles of additional track and sidings, completing signal improvements $51.1 million

Total = $223.5 million
(Allows 90 mph speeds with a trip time of 97 minutes)

Where you found $50 million in the study you posted the link to I can't find.

[electricron]

Iowa Pacific would be an extreme long shot. I currently work there and while the company is finishing up purchase and/or operating agreements for two railroads in Texas and California, they're just your standard steam train foamer fare. I've heard nothing about anything in Oklahoma.

With Iowa Pacific contracting services of the Hoosier State, I wouldn't dismiss them the ability to implement an Eastern Flyer service in some manner. Last year they ran a few experimental trains between Midwest City and Sapulpa with Stillwater Central running the locomotives. Although I don't believe a daily service will commence soon, awaiting Hoosier State results, I still believe a daily service is possible.

[Rockingham Racer]

Electricon,

You mean Sapulpa, don't you? Spatula doesn't come up on a Google Earth Maps search.

[electricron]

Yes you're correct, I didn't catch that misspelling, and neither did my spell checker. My spell checker insists the correct spelling is wrong, that's modern technology working against you.

[Rockingham Racer]

It comes up just fine on Google Earth maps.

[gokeefe]

Some notes from the recent service startup of Thruway service in Wichita. Cross posted from the Southwest Chief thread:

Here you go:

Amtrak restores service to Wichita with shuttle to Newton and OKC stations

On Monday, the Amtrak passenger rail system formally restored service to Wichita for the first time in 37 years, with a throughway bus connecting to Oklahoma City and Newton on a train-friendly schedule.

A connection to the Heartland Flyer as well as the Southwest Chief.

Loaded and active in the reservation system - Wichita (WIC). Thruway Routes 8903 and 8904.

Worth noting:

Service to Wichita will start at 312 South Broadway Avenue, Greyhound Station, transition one block over to Wichita Downtown Transit Center at 214 South Topeka Street, which is just one block over from Wichita Union Station at 701 East Douglas Avenue.

At least they're in the right neighborhood.

A small grass roots advocacy organization Passenger Rail Kansas has recently been created. It appears to be quite new.

[Balerion]

Heartland Flyer could fall victim to state budget cuts

[Rockingham Racer]

Looks like the passenger rail advocacy group mentioned above has lots of work to do.

At the very least, an extension over to Tulsa via Perry would be helpful in building ridership. The optimum, of course, is take the route up to Wichita, Newton, and on to Kansas City, but given the stance of both OK and KS to passenger rail spending, I'm not hopeful on that.

The claim that the train takes Oklahomans to Texas to spend money there overlooks the intra-Oklahoma rides.

[Jeff Smith]

Apparently, a move's afoot similar to the Hoosier. Note: I'm rolling in some threads, so I usually pick the oldest to post in first. Therefore, this news may not be news, but an update.

Changes Could Be Coming For The Heartland Flyer Service

I'm sure the $3.30 is a typo

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has heard back from seven passenger rail companies looking at taking over operations of the Heartland Flyer.

Amtrak currently operates the line from Oklahoma City to Dallas at an annual cost of $3.30 to Oklahoma.

Passenger rail advocate Evan Stair has been pleading with ODOT to find another carrier in an effort to save money and improve service.
...
Corridor Capital, Erie Lackawanna, First Transit, Herzog, Iowa Pacific, PTSI Transportation, along with Amtrak, all responded to ODOT’s request for information.

[Jeff Smith]

Advocacy site: http://www.passengerrailok.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[electricron]

I'm sure they meant to write $3.3 million.

Oklahoma sold the Sooner sub for $75 million, only $25 million remains in the Rail Improvement Fund after the legislature raided the fund this year. Some good news, the Sooner sub tracks have been improved to meet FRA Class 3, which will allow passenger trains up to an ??? acceptable ??? maximum speed of 60 mph. But that's the Eastern Flyer.

Back to the Heartland Flyer, the legislature also raided it's revolving account as well. Oklahoma has been since 1999 putting $2.8 million into the account every year while Amtrak was only charging $1.9 million per year. So over the last 15 years, close to $20 million, and with accurred interest, $25 million has accumulated in this account. Poof, it's gone! While the legislature is still budgeting $2.8 million for the Heartland Flyer yearly, Amtrak now charges over $3.5 million. So there is now a deficit of $700 thousand per year. And that's just Oklahoma's share, Texas has also budgeted less per year than what Amtrak wants to charge them too. So the future of the Heartland Flyer is really in question for FY 2018, unless by some miracle expenses are lowered to match the subsidy these States are willing to pay.

[Jeff Smith]

News on the Flyer, and potential service , to Wichita, which may involve Iowa Pacific: McClatchy DC

SNIPS:

Ticket to bringing trains back to Wichita: Hot meals and dome car?

WASHINGTON
When, and if passenger trains stop in Wichita again, they may not be owned or operated by Amtrak, which left the largest city in Kansas more than three decades ago.

Extending an existing train from Oklahoma City to Wichita, or even keeping it on its current route, may depend on the success of a state-supported train in Indiana that’s staked its future on a company that isn’t Amtrak.

Iowa Pacific, a Chicago-based owner and operator of railroad locomotives and cars, was one of seven companies to express interest in running the Heartland Flyer train, which currently offers one daily round trip between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City.
...
Oklahoma, facing a state budget crunch much like its neighbor to the north, is looking at ways to save on the annual cost of supporting the operation of the Heartland Flyer.

Plans to extend the train to Wichita and Newton, Kansas, won’t get very far if Oklahoma can’t come up with the money to support the train beyond the next fiscal year.
...
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation- ... rylink=cpy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;