to San Antonio, Texas, via Austin in conjunction with a reroute of the Texas Eagle west from Fort Worth to El Paso, Texas via Sierra Blanca was considered. This would have created another connection with the Sunset Limited. In 2020, Amtrak reported it was working to add a new stop in Thackerville, Oklahoma, with access to the WinStar World Casino operated by the Chickasaw Nation. Equipment used The Heartland Flyer uses equipment from Amtrak's national fleet, typically two General Electric Genesis locomotives and two or three Superliner railcars. One of the Superliner cars is a snack coach with seating on the upper level of the car, and a small Café area on the lower level. Previously, the Heartland Flyer used a combination of Hi-Level and Superliner railcars before converting to all Superliners. For many years, the train was powered by only one locomotive, and a Non-Powered Control Unit (NPCU) on the end of the train opposite the locomotive made the train bi-directional. In 2009, the NPCU was replaced with a standard Genesis P42DC, giving the train locomotive power on both ends. The train returned to having an NPCU in 2015 before an accident in 2017 caused it to alternate between having power on both ends and having the NPCU. It has since switched back to having locomotive power on both ends. From April 2010 to April 2011, Amtrak and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation carried out a research project to run the train on a biodiesel blend known as B20 (20% pure biofuel and 80% diesel). P32-8 locomotive No. 500 carried an Amtrak decal indicating the use of this fuel. The test made national news when Time magazine listed it as one of "The 50 Best Inventions of 2010". From its inception in 1999, the train has added additional cars to accommodate fans heading to Dallas, Texas to see the Red River Rivalry. The first train had one additional coach while subsequent trains have had as many as three additional cars. A "Sightseer" lounge is also added. The train was dubbed the "Big Game Train" and it runs every year with the exception of 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. References Notes External links Heartland Flyer Coalition Amtrak routes Railway services introduced in 1999 Passenger rail transportation in Texas Passenger rail transportation in Oklahoma Transportation in Fort Worth, Texas