At Amtrak's formation in 1971, the corridor was served by the railroad's Chicago–Houston "Lone Star", itself the successor of the Santa Fe's "Texas Chief." However, the "Lone Star" was discontinued in 1979, severing the state of Oklahoma from the national rail network. The "Heartland Flyer" was inaugurated on June 14, 1999, ending a 20-year absence of passenger rail in Oklahoma and North Texas. Senator Don Nickles sponsored a "Name the Train" contest, encouraging Oklahoma schoolchildren to pick a name for the new route. The winning name was submitted by Katie Moore, who christened the new train on its first run.