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Amtrak soon will conduct a study to determine the feasibility of providing state-sponsored service between Kansas City, Mo., and Oklahoma City, via Newton, Kan.

Currently, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief provides service between Kansas City and Newton, and the Heartland Flyer operates daily between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City.

To be funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation, the study will analyze a connection between the Southwest Chief and an extended Heartland Flyer at Newton, a further extension of the Heartland Flyer to Kansas City, or another new service. The route likely would include service to Wichita, which has not been served by Amtrak since the railroad discontinued Lone Star service in 1979. Amtrak will examine costs, schedules, stations, rail-car and locomotive availability, and potential travel delays due to freight traffic on the lines.

The railroad expects to begin the study in mid- to late summer and complete it by third-quarter 2009.