Passenger Trains > Heartland Follies

Today, the southbound Heartland Flyer Amtrak Train 821(3) was annulled out of Oklahoma City.

Train 822(2), northbound, broke down north of Norman Tuesday night. The inert trainset was deadheaded back to Fort Worth with a leased BNSF unit. So no equipment was at Oklahoma City.

This appears to be the second day in a row. Train 821(2) shows times in Dixieland from Oklahoma City to Paul's River but the attached advisory says it was cancelled at origin. On the prior day, Train 822(1) broke down an hour out of Ft. Worth and several times more, with an ultimate delay of 2 hr 41 min.

There is no longer an Amtrak standby unit at fort Worth.

Does the Heartland Flyer still operate with a locomotive on each end?

DutchDragon Wrote:
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> Does the Heartland Flyer still operate with a
> locomotive on each end?

It has a P42 on each end with 3 superliner coaches including 1 with a snack bar on the first level

Posted from iPhone

SO, Amtrak is incompetent in Fort Worth as well.  OKC too.  The Chicago yard disease is spreading...........

Kind of makes you wonder with this train set to end by October 1st if shoulders aren't already being shrugged and/or "the best and brightest" motive power isn't being sent. Dying train, dying morale. Wouldn't be the first time...

Posted from Android

MEKoch Wrote:
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> SO, Amtrak is incompetent in Fort Worth as well. 
> OKC too.  The Chicago yard disease is
> spreading...........

While you got that jar of blame out you can blame the States of Texas and Oklahoma too since this is a State Supported train.
If the states are not willing to enforce their contract with Amtrak then it's their fault.

How many cars are assigned to the Heartland flyer?

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

Look three replies up in the thread and your answer is there.

Posted from Android

GenePoon Wrote:
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>
> ....
>
> There is no longer an Amtrak standby unit at fort
> Worth.

There was two weeks ago when it provided power and air for two private cars on June 23-26.

BTW, rode the Flyer to OK City on Sunday June 23. It was sold out but because of the NBA Final that night, the conductor suggested riders exit at Norman as downtown was locked down because of the final and those picking up passengers would not have access to the station. Due to a disabled freight it arrived an hour after its 8:45 p.m. schedule.

 

PHall Wrote:
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> While you got that jar of blame out you can blame
> the States of Texas and Oklahoma too since this is
> a State Supported train.
> If the states are not willing to enforce their
> contract with Amtrak then it's their fault.

In diuscussing a service 'guarantee' with a DOT client, I observed that if a guarantee is not supported by a meaningfuyl 'or else' there is no guarantee. It appears that in many contracts with Class 1s, the 'or else' is trivial, meaningless or overlooked altogether.

TAW

Does anyone know if there are any present ongoing negotiations to keep the Hearland Flyer running past October 1? Would Oklahoma step up at all? I would presume not. Too bad if it gets discontinued as this was a heck of a lot of planning to get started and more was "supposed" to come potentially. Never good to see any Amtrak route threatened in this day and age. It will be a mountain to climb to restored any type of service......once discontinued. 

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
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> Look three replies up in the thread and your
> answer is there.
>
> Posted from Android.

But does that include extra cars for heavier runs, or for replacements for the cars that need maintenance work, etc?

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

GP25 Wrote:
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> ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Look three replies up in the thread and your
> > answer is there.
> >
> > Posted from Android.
>
> But does that include extra cars for heavier runs,
> or for replacements for the cars that need
> maintenance work, etc?

Yes. 3 cars total.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/25 14:06 by DutchDragon.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Does anyone know if there are any present ongoing
> negotiations to keep the Hearland Flyer running
> past October 1? Would Oklahoma step up at all? I
> would presume not. Too bad if it gets discontinued
> as this was a heck of a lot of planning to get
> started and more was "supposed" to come
> potentially. Never good to see any Amtrak route
> threatened in this day and age. It will be a
> mountain to climb to restored any type of
> service......once discontinued. 

An excellent question. If the answer is “no” very sad…all the efforts to get the Gulf Coast Mardi Gras train took almost 20 years. This is a good service that could vanish and in my lifetime likely not come back. Nuts.

Posted from iPhone

I don't have confirmation but I've been trying to follow developments. The city of Fort Worth wants to keep it as does Gainesville and while they are unwilling (but I presume not unable) to pony up funds to replace Texas' share, the Oklahoma government is as well.

There may still be a chance this gets salvaged but it is looking pretty grim.

DocVooDoo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Does anyone know if there are any present
> ongoing
> > negotiations to keep the Hearland Flyer running
> > past October 1? Would Oklahoma step up at all?
> I
> > would presume not. Too bad if it gets
> discontinued
> > as this was a heck of a lot of planning to get
> > started and more was "supposed" to come
> > potentially. Never good to see any Amtrak route
> > threatened in this day and age. It will be a
> > mountain to climb to restored any type of
> > service......once discontinued. 
>
> An excellent question. If the answer is “no”
> very sad…all the efforts to get the Gulf Coast
> Mardi Gras train took almost 20 years. This is a
> good service that could vanish and in my lifetime
> likely not come back. Nuts.
>
> Posted from iPhone