Big Game Train tradition will continue this October
FORT WORTH, Texas – Amtrak leaders thank elected and appointed Texas officials for providing that state’s portion of an agreement with the State of Oklahoma to sponsor the daily Amtrak Heartland Flyer [1] service between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.
“Leadership by Gov. Greg Abbott [2] and Texas Department of Transportation [3] (TxDOT) Executive Director Marc Williams [4] will keep this important service operating and connecting to local transit and the Amtrak National Network in Fort Worth,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. [5] “We will work with TxDOT, our partners in Oklahoma and the rest of the region to continue to provide the Heartland Flyer service.”
Since June 1999, the southbound Heartland Flyer has departed Oklahoma City [6] in the morning, with Oklahoma stations in Norman [7], Purcell [8], Pauls Valley [9] and Ardmore [10] before crossing the Red River and making a stop in Gainesville [11], Texas. The northbound Heartland Flyer returns to those stations after leaving Fort Worth [12] in the early evening. In the 12 months ending last September, 80,767 rode these trains, with both record ridership and ticket revenue.
Amtrak is making an estimated $17 million of federally-funded investments at Texas and Oklahoma stations along the 206-mile route. Accessibility work is nearly complete at three stations and two more stations expected to be out for bid next year.
With 50 employees, the Fort Worth crew base is the sole hub for Heartland Flyer maintenance, operations, and commissary, comprising the bulk of the $23 million Amtrak payroll in Texas. Last year, Amtrak bought more than $95 million in Texas goods and services (plus $256,000 in Oklahoma) with $69 million in Texas communities served by the Heartland Flyer.
Payroll and purchasing is part of the reason Texas A&M research showed every $1 invested in passenger rail produces $5 in economic activity. Study findings are available by request.
In 2025, the bi-annual Texas state budget did not include the funding required by federal law for services such as the Heartland Flyer. Last year, the Regional Transportation Council [13] in North Central Texas fulfilled the state’s share. This year, a $4.2 million fund transfer within TxDOT enables the popular service to continue while the Legislature meets next year to consider the 2027-28 state budget.
This state funding from the Texas Transportation Commission [14] and action by the Legislative Budget Board [15] clears the way for the “Big Game Train,” a service extension of the Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Dallas for fans to attend a football game [16] in Dallas each October between the University of Texas [17] and the University of Oklahoma [18].
The winner takes home the Golden Hat Trophy and a year of bragging rights. Watch for an announcement from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation [3] with more information about the game at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Reaction:
“Securing the future of the Heartland Flyer has been a priority of mine, and I’m glad to see Texas, Oklahoma, and Amtrak come together on this agreement. This route matters. It connects North Texas communities to jobs, education, and each other, and it’s a service our constituents have made clear they value. It’s a win for North Texas families, our regional economy, and the future of passenger rail in our state, and I’ll keep working to see it succeed,” said St. Sen. Tan Parker [19], Texas Senate Transportation Committee Chair.