AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers did not include funding for Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer in a budget bill passed last week, placing the future of the train between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City in jeopardy after a year that saw a 11% increase in ridership.
The Texas Department of Transportation had sought $3.53 million for the train for each of the next two years, to address the yearly operating costs shared with Oklahoma and for equipment replacement. [See “Texas funding for Heartland Flyer …,” Trains News Wire, April 16, 2025]. Instead, no funding was included in a $338 billion budget bill passed Saturday (May 31) by the legislature last week, just prior to its adjournment. Because the legislature only meets every other year, the state budget — and the hole in funding for the train — covers two years.
The bill is awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott, WFAA-TV reports.
In a June 5 press release, Amtrak said the train faces suspension “no later than Oct. 1” unless Texas provides its share of funding, with Amtrak President Roger Harris saying “sustaining the Heartland Flyer is essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring long-term mobility in the region.”
The group Texas Rail Advocates reports discussions are in progress at the state, regional, and local level to find other means to fund the service. One possible source of help: the North Central Texas Council of Governments, which was prepared to offer $700,000 to cover a budget shortfall for the train in 2023, and had authorized spending up to $100,000 to maintain service in 2024. Those funds were not needed in either case.
Tommy Moore, mayor of Gainesville, Texas, a stop on the Flyer route, said losing the train “will be a major setback for mobility, our environment, and our economy. … I’ll keep fighting to make sure this critical service stays in place for years to come.”
The train carried 80,371 passengers in fiscal 2024, according to Amtrak figures, up 11% over 2023. Its potential loss could be felt well beyond Texas. Not only are five of the train’s seven stops in Oklahoma, along with about half of its 206-mile route, but Kansas has been studying expansion of the train to connect with the Southwest Chief in Newton, Kan. Currently, bus service connects the two trains [see “Heartland Flyer’s challenging connections …,” News Wire, July 31, 2023].
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said that his city has “benefited from the Heartland Flyer‘s contribution” to a vision of a comprehensive, connected transportation system. “We recognize that Texas benefits greatly from the visits of our residents via the Flyer,” Holt said, “and we also deeply appreciate the amenity and the connection to the entire Amtrak system.”
— Updated June 5 at 4:45 p.m. CT with comments from Amtrak President Roger Harris, other officials.
An even better solution is to reincarnate the Houston – Chicago ‘Texas Chief’, crossing paths with the ‘Texas Eagle’ between Temple and Fort Worth, then covering the ‘Heartland Flyer’ route to Oklahoma City, continuing to Tulsa, Kansas City and beyond to Chicago. Train frequency would be added between Temple and Fort Worth to supplement the ‘Texas Eagle’; and, Kansas City and Chicago to supplement the ‘Southwest Chief’.
It would be interesting for News Wire to pin Amtrak down on why they don’t propose some type of through cars for the Newton connection. I suppose having people walk across a platform in the middle of the night at some level keeps the entire Heartland Flyer route from being a Amtrak funded as a LD route, but the case can be made that the support for all levels of government would be less with a through car arrangement that generated a lot more revenue. Additionally, the current administration is proposing more National Network funding so what leg does Amtrak have to stand on? Perhaps a group needs to make an unsolicited proposal to TXDOT, ODOT, and KDOT to provide equipment and staffing for the through cars and take over the KC to STL daytime train on the other end as well, as long as federal investment provides Amtrak track access, T&E crews, and insurance.
So true, Mr Dupree! This is the problem with multistate psgr rail svc, if they don’t make a commitment by investing in it with their own equipment like IL, WA, CA etc they’re just waiting for an opportunity to bail out of the arrangement, being TX I’m surprised it lasted this long!
This may be yet another piece of the system that should just be let go. I’ve ridden twice this year. There are WAY too many speed restrictions on this route. I was a regular rider on this route in the 70s. The Lone Star sped along at 90mph. What exists today is better than nothing, but if it can’t be funded, then let her go.
Well there is one “silver lining” even if it is also a negative: If the train shutters, Amtrak will have more equipment to add to other trains. Of course, having said that, they are loathe to do this since it means they will have a hard time defending their high fares charged due to “lack of equipment…” as they currently do. What a way to run a business. Proves the point: If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will only get what you always got. Amtrak represents this phrase in spades!
Another instance that disproves, for all to see, claims repeatedly made by the Rail Passengers Association that their efforts to boost support for intercity passenger rail at state legislatures has had tremendous maybe the problem with the Heartland Flyer is that it isn’t multi-frequency. So big costs for train that operates only once in 24 in each direction.
“Has had tremendous success. Maybe problem is…”There. Fixed it.
If it were wanted/needed, wouldn’t it be running a “surplus” (Can’t say “profit” in a Socialist nation.)
The socialist highways are a much larger drain of taxpayer $$. But people don’t complain because it benefits them generally.
John you can’t name ONE airport or highway that runs at a “surplus” as you say. If ya don’t like trains then why are you on this site. I’m sure there’s a train haters site somewhere you can join!
Would extending the HEARTLAND FLYER to Chicago cause a decline in passengers on the TEXAS EAGLE?
No. Amtrak LDs are all about travel to/ from midpoints, not end-to-end.
Three and a half million on a $338 billion budget. If this isn’t pure political BS nothing is. Expect the same thing to happen with the new Mardi Gras train if it ever does really roll.
Chris, if you look at numbers, look at the ridership also. Riders per train is not outrageously low, and the Texas subsidy per rider is not outrageously high, but these are numbers you should look at.
For this train to succeed, the Newton (Kansas) connection would be an improvement, but not by much. The train should go to Chicago. Not that I’m happy about it, but METRA reductions might provide track capacity east of Aurora.