Daily riders of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer may have only a few months left to enjoy the four-hour trip down the I-35 corridor. Amtrak warned this week that the 206-mile route will be “paused no later than Oct. 1” unless the State of Texas comes up with its share of operating funds—about $7 million to cover the next two fiscal years.
Why the train is suddenly in jeopardy
Texas lawmakers left the Flyer out of their $338 billion biennial budget, even though Oklahoma has already earmarked its portion. Historically, Texas contributes roughly $2.6 million per year while Oklahoma puts in more than half of the train’s costs, but rising fuel and labor expenses have pushed Amtrak’s latest request higher.
What’s at stake for the region
Amtrak estimates the service pumps $5.3 million in direct spending and nearly $24 million in total economic activity into the two states annually, supporting tourism jobs from Oklahoma City’s Bricktown to Fort Worth’s Stockyards.FY 2024 ridership reached 80,371—up roughly 15 percent from pre-pandemic levels—underscoring growing demand for an alternative to clogged highways.Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker called the Flyer “central to our city’s visitor economy,” while Gainesville Mayor Tommy Moore vowed to “fight for a fix before the wheels stop turning.”Oklahoma leaders are equally anxious: the train is the first piece of a larger vision to extend passenger rail north to Newton, Kansas, where travelers could connect with the long-distance Southwest Chief. Losing the Flyer now would stall that plan indefinitely.
Also Read – Woman Found Beheaded and Stuffed in Suitcase in Shocking Tourist Hotspot Murder
A rolling classroom you might not know about
One of the Flyer’s hidden gems is the weekend Trails & Rails program: National Park Service volunteers hop aboard to narrate the journey, pointing out the Chickasaw Nation’s historic homelands, the Red River’s Civil War crossings, and bursts of prairie wildflowers. Travelers often leave with a souvenir passport stamp and a list of hikes to try on their next trip. If the service shuts down, that rolling classroom disappears too.
Next steps—and a glimmer of hope
Amtrak has not issued an exact last-run date, giving Texas a narrow window to add rail funding during an expected special session later this summer. Rail advocates are urging residents to contact legislators, noting that once equipment and crews are reassigned, restarting the line could take years.
Meanwhile, communities along the route are brainstorming stop-gap measures—from local tourism taxes to private sponsorships—to keep trains rolling past the soon-to-be-scorching Red River. Whether those ideas gain traction may determine if the Heartland Flyer celebrates its 26th birthday on the rails—or in the history books.
