Sooner Express Texas Bound

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- Less than 24 hours away from the big kick off between the University of Oklahoma and Texas, some fans aren't wasting any time getting to Dallas. Hundreds of Sooner fans packed the Heartland Flyer, better known in Oklahoma as the Sooner Express, riding in style to Dallas.

Gas prices may be coming down, but a three and half hour drive to Dallas still isn't cheap and it sure won't cost you less than $40 round-trip. However, a special train ride to Dallas is turning out to be a cheaper option that has many OU fans getting onboard.

As you might expect the Sooner Express, which has been making a special trip to Dallas for the OU/ Texas game for almost a decade now, is full of not just some of OU's biggest fans, but possibly some of the smartest.

"It's always better, sit back and relax, price of gas," Sooner fan Henry Boward said. "Price of gas, I don't have to worry about driving, don't have to worry about traffic."

But buried in the middle of the crimson and cream is some orange too, only it isn't Texas orange.

Regardless of who their rooting for, it's an event Amtrak officials said has been gaining in popularity.

"We typically have just three coaches on the Heartland Flyer, those sold out real quickly," John Dougherty with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said. "We added a fourth coach and that sold out, so we added a fifth coach and that lasted about a day and a half and that sold out."

Last year the Sooner Express was filled with 200 football fans, and this year with the extra rail cars, the trip has grown to over 300.

The Sooner Express will bring the fans back on Sunday.