NEWS

Oklahoma City's Heartland Flyer turns 20

Passengers step onto Amtrak's Heartland Flyer train as conductor Dwayne Shaw greets them during boarding at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving rail passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. The daily service by Amtrak has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
Passengers step onto Amtrak's Heartland Flyer train as conductor Dwayne Shaw greets them during boarding at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving rail passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. The daily service by Amtrak has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
JIM BECKEL
Katie Moore shows the "golden ticket" presented to her during the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Oklahoma at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. The Oklahoma City woman was honored at the celebration as being the person who suggested the name, Heartland Flyer, in 1999 when she was 11 years old. Her family attended the event with her. The Heartland Flyer, which runs daily, has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
Katie Moore shows the "golden ticket" presented to her during the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Oklahoma at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. The Oklahoma City woman was honored at the celebration as being the person who suggested the name, Heartland Flyer, in 1999 when she was 11 years old. Her family attended the event with her. The Heartland Flyer, which runs daily, has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
JIM BECKEL
Standing beside an Amtrak passenger car just a few minutes before it pulls away from the station, Tim Gatz, Oklahoma secretary of transportation, welcomes dignitaries and visitors to the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Oklahoma at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. The Heartland Flyer, which runs daily, has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. Gatz also serves as the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
Standing beside an Amtrak passenger car just a few minutes before it pulls away from the station, Tim Gatz, Oklahoma secretary of transportation, welcomes dignitaries and visitors to the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Oklahoma at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. The Heartland Flyer, which runs daily, has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. Gatz also serves as the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
JIM BECKEL
Marc Magliari, left, visits with Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. Gatz and Magliari are among dignitaries and visitors who attended a brief ceremony at the train station marking the anniversary of the return of rail service to Oklahoma. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving rail passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. Magliari works for Amtrak where he is spokesman for government affairs and corporate communications. The daily service by Amtrak has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
Marc Magliari, left, visits with Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. Gatz and Magliari are among dignitaries and visitors who attended a brief ceremony at the train station marking the anniversary of the return of rail service to Oklahoma. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving rail passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. Magliari works for Amtrak where he is spokesman for government affairs and corporate communications. The daily service by Amtrak has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
JIM BECKEL
Longtime father-son commercial realtors Thomas, left, and Stephen Lay in their office in northwest Oklahoma City, 5500 Northwest Expressway, on Thursday, June 13, 2019. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
Longtime father-son commercial realtors Thomas, left, and Stephen Lay in their office in northwest Oklahoma City, 5500 Northwest Expressway, on Thursday, June 13, 2019. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
JIM BECKEL
Katie Moore accepts the "golden ticket" and a souvenir shirt from Tim Gatz during a ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Oklahoma at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. Gatz is the state's secretary of transportation and serves as executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Moore, of Oklahoma City, was honored as being the person who suggested the name, Heartland Flyer, in 1999 when she was 11 years old. Her family attended the event with her. The Heartland Flyer, which runs daily, has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
Katie Moore accepts the "golden ticket" and a souvenir shirt from Tim Gatz during a ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Oklahoma at Santa Fe Depot in downtown Oklahoma City Friday morning, June 14, 2019. The Heartland Flyer is celebrating its 20th year of serving passengers in Oklahoma and Texas. Gatz is the state's secretary of transportation and serves as executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Moore, of Oklahoma City, was honored as being the person who suggested the name, Heartland Flyer, in 1999 when she was 11 years old. Her family attended the event with her. The Heartland Flyer, which runs daily, has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. Originating its route on Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio. [Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman]
JIM BECKEL