
Passenger trains to Fort Worth are on time more often. Here’s why
Passengers board Amtrak’s northbound Texas Eagle toward Chicago at Fort Worth Central Station on Nov. 9, 2023. (Sandra Sadek | Fort Worth Report)
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Two intercity passenger rail operations that travel through Fort Worth are improving their on-time performance rates, according to a new federal study.
The Heartland Flyer, which connects Fort Worth and Oklahoma City through a daily state-supported service operated by Amtrak, dramatically improved its on-time performance for the first six months of 2024.
The service received a 78% on-time score for April through June 2024, a significant improvement from the 37% score received during the same period of 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration said in its quarterly report.
Heartland Flyer riders gave the service an overall 84% rating. The service is funded by Oklahoma and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Amtrak also improved the performance of its Texas Eagle service, which runs from Los Angeles to San Antonio, then north to Fort Worth and Dallas before heading to Chicago. That service received a 74% on-time score for spring 2024, compared with 63% in the same period last year.
Texas Eagle scored a 72% favorable rating from riders, according to the study.
The Federal Railroad Administration said trains were late for several reasons, including “slow orders,” which refers to sections of railroad track posted at below-normal speeds. Freight train interference, weather and equipment issues also contributed to delays, the report said.
Peter LeCody, president of Texas Rail Advocates, said Heartland Flyer ridership increased by 9%, from 46,760 in May 2023 to 51,191 in May 2024 — an indicator that a second train may be needed on the growing route.
“There’s been a groundswell increase in ridership and revenue,” he said.
The train may be an attractive travel option because it is generally easier and more affordable than bus service to Oklahoma, LeCody said.
“They could support a second route a day,” he said. “That train is crying for it.”
A second daily route from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City would aid business travelers, he said.
Marc Magliari, a senior public relations manager for Amtrak, said the improved scores will aid in ridership.
“Our customers look to us to provide on-time performance,” he said. “When they arrive at their destination on time or early, that makes them happy.”
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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