There is a ray of good news in the Amtrak gloom. Check out this link: Heartland Flyer funding This is a surprise, considering Oklahoma's nuts about highways. Hopefully momentum will gather from this
Beast, Welcome to Trainboard! I haven't been in Guthrie since I graduated from OSU back in May 1979. I agree with Tom Elmore- the Flyer would be better as a connection between Dallas-Ft. Worth and Kansas City, even if it means reviving the route of the Lone Star from Newton south. I've seen speculations by folks in the Heartland Flyer group in Yahoo! about extending the train north to Perry, then east on the former Frisco to Tulsa, and up the former Cherokee Subdivision to Afton, OK, then north through Miami and Baxter Springs to Kansas City (route of the Firefly). Inasmuch as I'd love to see passenger trains rolling on Frisco rails again, I think the extension to Newton would be better. But first, we'll have to wait & see whether Congress approves funding for all of Amtrak for the next fiscal year.
friscobob, thanks. what about using the rail from okc to tulsa? can't remember whose it was. it parallels 1-44 for a ways. goes through sapulpa. would make more sense than going through perry (although i work in perry & it would be cool to see amtrack go through everyday . other option might be to link up with some of the old rock island trackage that goes through el reno and points north. later
