Stillwater Central Railroad is building steam to start a rail passenger service between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The subsidiary of Watco Companies has announced it is seeking proposals from passenger rail service to begin the service in at least the next year.
Stillwater Central bought 97.5 miles of track four years ago from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation at a price of $75 million. As part of the purchase agreement, the company has until August 2019 to begin rail passenger service or start paying the state $2.8 million. And if it doesn’t begin offering passenger rail service by 2024, then it has to return the easement to the DOT.
Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City plans meetings in July with those involved in the project, with hopes of beginning the service. His efforts are supported by Rep. Monroe Nichols, D-Tulsa.
“It is now critical that local leadership in Tulsa come to the table, just as leaders in Oklahoma City already have,” said Nichols in a Friday news release from the House.
