Heartland Flyer ridership up

[metro]

Heartland Flyer ridership increases
Journal Record
August 21, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – Ridership on the Amtrak Heartland Flyer train between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth increased 17 percent for the 10 months ended July 31.

Ridership on the daily trains for the 10 months totaled 67,141 passengers, up from 57,327 passengers for the 10 months ended July 31, 2007.

Ridership in July totaled 11,721 passengers, up from 8,362 passengers for July 2007.

Amtrak operates the Heartland Flyer under contracts with the Oklahoma and Texas state transportation departments. Amtrak is studying additional service in the two states. A report reviewing service to and from Tulsa is due soon.

[Blazerfan11]

Tulsa would be nice!

[Kerry]

Wow - that is almost 190 people per day each way for July. Anyone know the seating capacity of the train?

[Midtowner]

Great news!

But how much money did it lose?

[Kerry]

Great news!

But how much money did it lose?

It doesn't lose money - it is one of only 2 lines on the entire Amtrak systems that doesn't lose money. Of course, it does receive a state subsidy so I think Amtrak includes that money as income in their report.

I just checked the 2004 profit/loss report and if you take away the state subsidy the Heartland flier lost about $46 per passenger.

[Luke]

I've never been on a train. But it intrigues me. I'd like to make a trip on the Heartland Flyer.

I'm a complete noob when it comes to trains... but I have a few questions.

Can you walk from car to car while it's moving? Or do you have to stay in your car? And it's my understanding that these are two level cars. Can you move freely about? Also, there is a snack car with couches. What's to stop people from hanging out in there on the couches rather than their seat? How does the snack car work? Only paying customers allowed in?

Just wondering.

[OKCMallen]

OKC to Tulsa would be terrific.

[soonerguru]

But how much money did it lose

How much money did I-35 make? Flash: transportation infrastructure costs money.

[Kerry]

How much money did I-35 make? Flash: transportation infrastructure costs money.

No argument there.

Luke - I have not been on an AmTrak train either but I have been on others. You can move about as you wish. There is not assigned seating like on airplane so you can sit where you want. You can go to the snack bar when first get on and you don't have to leave until you get off. The only thing that is assigned are the sleeping quarters. On some trains I have ridden you can even stand outside on the back of the last car.

[BG918]

It would be nice if there was a train directly to Dallas in addition to Fort Worth. I know you can take the TRE once you get to FW but I'd rather go straight to Dallas and then take DART. Right now there is no service between Dallas and Houston (crazy I know) so it would be nice to have an "Energy Express" or something linking OKC to Dallas Union Station and then to Houston.

I'd also like to see the Heartland Flyer continued to Newton, KS to connect to the Southwest Chief (to Albuquerque or Kansas City) there stopping in Edmond, Guthrie, Perry, Ponca City, Winfield, KS, and Wichita. It would also be nice to have service to Tulsa which would continue on to St. Louis.

[kevinpate]

A connection via Newton KS would take you on the SW Chief all the way to either Chicago going East or LA going West.

Going to FW and switching trains will get one a long distance in either direction as well if memory serves correctly. Also from FW one can go back to Chicago via a switch.

Chicago gives you various directional opportunities as well, as does getting to LA for that matter

I like trains, I just wish I had more time to like trains