Passenger Rail Makes Debut With Round Trip From Sapulpa

Passenger rail service is back in Oklahoma.

The Eastern Flyer took off with its first group of round-trip passengers on Sunday. Tickets for the trip from Sapulpa to Oklahoma City sold out fast.

Anticipation built up fast for the rebirth of passenger rail service across the heart of Oklahoma.

"We're looking forward to it today," passenger Eric Lovelace said.

Eric Lovelace and his friends are among the hundreds waiting in line to board the Eastern Flyer.

"My work office is in a 1947 Santa Fe caboose, so this is kind of special for us," Lovelace said.

Visit the Eastern Flyer's website

The train departs in Sapulpa and makes two stops along the way.

One in Bristow, the other in Stroud before ending in Midwest City.

"These excursion trains aren't necessarily about the time, but it's more about the adventure, the opportunity to be on a train," Jeff Van Schaick said.

For three and a half hours, passengers can watch the snowy Oklahoma countryside pass by or enjoy a nice meal.

2/9/2014 Related Story: All Aboard As Eastern Flyer Passenger Train Service Begins

"What I'm going to do is make sure the dining cart is ready to go then I'm going to make the second call for breakfast available."

Lovelace says rail travel is part of U.S. history and this is also an opportunity to meet new people.

"It's been wonderful," Lovelace said. "I think everybody's having a great time and it's fun to see the different generations mixing together on the train. I think it's good."

This 7-year-old is passing the time by drawing her own version of the Eastern Flyer.

"You get to sit and look out the window and I really like to see the lakes and the country," passenger Katie Eckersley said.

She even has her stay in OKC all planned out.

"Were going to a museum and I think it's a good idea cause museums teach you," Eckersley said.

Getting to that museum will be a piece of cake, since the Eastern Flyer provides charter buses to take passengers to museums, Bricktown or even a Thunder game.

The passengers on the train will arrive back in Sapulpa at 6:30 p.m.

There are two more trips planned for this month, but they already are sold out.

Organizers with the Eastern Flyer are looking into daily passenger service as well as additional weekend trips.