(The News-Star posted the following article by Jamie Dukes on its website on April 9.)
SHAWNEE, Okla. — More train lines in Oklahoma? Maybe.
Macomb native Joe Kyle Jr. is the manager for the Rail Programs Division with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and served as the guest speaker for the Shawnee Rotary Club Tuesday.
After being introduced by County Commissioner Buck Day, Kyle reviewed the role of the rail division, including preservation of current lines and safety.
After the Rock Island went bankrupt in the 1970s, the state made it a point to make sure the line was preserved and maintained.
“The taxpayers own 850 miles of track in the state,” Kyle said.
Safety is an ongoing issue for the division.
“There are 4,000 rail crossings across the state,” he said. “We constantly monitor the crossings and sometimes conduct safety upgrade projects.”
The other aspect of the rail division, of course, is the passenger line AmTrak, which came into full operation June 15, 1999, after seven years of planning and preparation.
“It runs from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth and back daily,” Kyle said. “From Fort Worth, there’s even a connection to downtown Dallas.”
An impact study is being conducted by students at Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma to research the need for rail lines from Oklahoma City to Tulsa .
“The report should be complete sometime this spring,” he said. “There is a large interest in rail and the future.”
Kyle said freight lines require a heavier track than passenger trains.
“Passenger trains normally run more efficiently on freight tracks,” he said. “They’re much lighter.”
The Shawnee News-Star asked about the possibility of a line running from McAlester to Shawnee. Kyle said there had to be first a determination of whether the Union Pacific line is for sale. The line is based out of Omaha, Neb.
“We’re working continuously on the research for such a project,” Kyle said. “The state and the rail line are looking at the costs which would be involved.”