OKLAHOMA CITY -- Even as he worries about the possible demise of passenger rail service in Oklahoma, state Sen. Dave Herbert wants to see high- speed passenger rail service between the state's largest cities, reports the Oklahoman.

"The beautiful part is you could live in Tulsa and work in Oklahoma City, or vice versa," said Herbert, D-Midwest City.

Herbert, long a leading advocate for passenger rail service, thinks Oklahoma is well positioned to become a center of passenger rail activity.

The state, which until 1999 was one of only two with no passenger rail service, ranks 15th in the nation in miles of rail line. Under former Gov. George Nigh, the state bought the rail lines and right of way from Oklahoma City to Tulsa.

"Oklahoma has an opportunity to be a rail hub. We'll never have an airline hub in Oklahoma," he said.

Herbert brushes off arguments that Amtrak has failed to become self-sufficient and maintains operations only through massive infusions of federal dollars. He points out that the government trains and provides all the air traffic controllers for commercial air traffic.

"No form of transportation has ever gone unsubsidized," he said. "All the airlines have to do is buy new planes and sell tickets. If you were to take away the federal subsidy, the ticket from Oklahoma City to Dallas would cost you $1,500."

Herbert wants voters to have a chance to decide whether they want to increase the tax on each gallon of gasoline sold in the state by 1 cent for 10 years to benefit passenger rail service.

A measure crafted by Herbert to call for such a statewide vote has been scuttled annually. The proposal has died in the state House of Representatives each time, and it appears it will die there again this session unless Herbert and others can get the House to change its mind.

Oklahoma was without passenger service for 20 years until June 14, 1999, when the Heartland Flyer, an Amtrak train, began carrying passengers daily between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas.

Last October, the federal Transportation Department designated several rail corridors nationwide for high-speed train service, meaning federal dollars would be available for these.

One of these corridors is from Fort Worth, Texas, to Oklahoma City to Tulsa.

While the state has enough money to subsidize the Amtrak train for at least a year, future funding is in doubt.

And if lawmakers don't take any action to bail out the Heartland Flyer?

"We'll have to drive to Dallas or Newton, Kan., to get on the train," Herbert said.