Press release from Watco on the status of the ex-Frisco Sooner Subdivision between Sapulpa and OKC: http://www.watcocompanies.com/Media/news/press_releases/2014/SLWC_SoonerSub_PR.pdf Iowa Pacific had also run excursion trains in February on this line. Oklahoma DOT was the original owner, with SLWC operating the line under lease. This route is also a part of the proposed Eastern Flyer passenger train between OKC and Kansas City (all-Frisco to Tulsa, Afton, and north to KC).
Cool...was anyone else bidding on it? I wonder if you could beat the Texas Eagle to Chicago this way? At very least it would be a fun change of pace. (yes, you can do that with the River Runner now I suppose, but only from St Louis which definitely wouldn't help the trip time) And the better use would be backtracking through Colorado/NM/AZ.
I'm having trouble recalling what has previously been mentioned about the "Eastern Flyer" operation. Is this a private venture?
This is interesting. Any ideas what they had in mind? Somebody in Fort Worth was seeing dollars in there, somewhere.
Well, I think they are just generally in the buying mode. Especially up north they seem to be buying old lines back to increase capacity...it's a great time to be a railroad right now.
