The next leg of passenger rail travel in Oklahoma seems more likely than ever. Kansas lawmakers are moving forward with a study this month that could bring Amtrak trains to Kansas and beyond.
They've been waiting to be able to spend some money on a rail passenger service study. The Journal Record reports a route expansion is likely between Oklahoma City and Newton, Kan., by 2010.
The new route would serve Guthrie, Perry, Ponca City, Arkansas City, Kan., Wichita, Kan., and Newton. At Newton, riders can take an existing Amtrak line into Kansas City.
Amtrak's Heartland Flyer ridership is up 17 percent, the newspaper reports. More than 67,000 passengers boarded the train in 2007. The Flyer began service in 1999 and now takes travelers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth.
A northbound route would nearly double the route's length. Oklahoma and Texas contribute about $2 million a year to subsidize the route. Kansans would be expected also to contribute a yearly amount to keep the trains running.
Oklahomans and Texans need to figure out a way to run more than one Heartland Flyer a day. The route is more of a tourist train as it stands. More daily departures and arrivals would bring more business riders who need to go to the Dallas-Fort Worth area each day.
Opinion
Rail service north now closer to reality
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