An Afternoon In Fort Worth: An Electric Trains Enthusiast's Point of View
August 24, 2001
 

Fort Worth Heritage Trolley
From Bill Dunaway:
Fort Worth is planning to build a heritage trolley system to run from the Texas and Pacific station, which the Trinity Valley express will reach in 2000, and Sundance  Square.   You can find some information on this at http://home1.gte.net/nold3.

Webmaster's note: the above link, Andy Nold's page, can now be reached here.

Cy Martin's North Texas Traction Company page holds a wealth of information about Fort Worth trolleys and their speculative future.

The T, Fort Worth's transportation authority, also has occasional trolley project updates.

On 7/26/99, I received this email from a gentleman at "The T", Fort Worth's transportation authority:

"...is the city of Ft. Worth's engineering studies to determine the feasibility of reintroducing fixed rail trolleys in Ft. Worth. The proposed line would connect Sundance Square with the Stockyards and the Cultural District."

And finally, this afternoon I stumbled upon the Real McCoy. Located in a parking lot under the new I-30 at Vickery and Main, I crept into the yard, waiting to hear the familiar, "Hey you, hands where I can see them, now!" Happily, I was undisturbed. And with an irony that seems to follow trolley history, I noted the underpass on which the lot sits : a former ROW for this very train. Now used by cars, it's heritage is obvious.

The actual future of a live trolley line in Fort Worth is misty. Last reports is that a study was being done with the enthusiastic approval of Mayor Kenneth Barr. According to sources at The T,  the only project involving trolleys that exists now is the refurbishment of the units you see here.

Scenes of the new Trinity Railway Express station, due to open in late 2001.

Fort Worth (Tandy) Subway

Adjacent to the Trinity River was the Tandy Subway, formerly known as the Leonard's subway because it was built by the Leonard Brothers to serve the patrons to their department store. The CTA car is in the storage yard and is used for parts. According to the motorman on this particular day's journey, the cars are transmogrified Washington DC PCCs.

As of September 3, 2001, the Tandy subway will no longer run on weekends as the company is "trying to save on electricity." There is also a  small museum just off the ice skating rink which is open weekdays.

Update: In September, 2002, the Tandy subway was closed for good. Goodbye, old friend.

The maintenance facility


Heritage Park sits parallel to the subway and is well worth a visit. Get off at station # 1.


The portal


Station 1



Tandy Center Station
Don't you love the safety barrels at the end of the line?


Inside the Vehicle


Miscellaneous Photos



Passing under Henderson Street, near the end of the line.

Photos taken circa 1993

The Tarantula

All Aboard the Tarantula Train

Miscellaneous

Fort Worth Star Telegram article proposing a commuter train from Fort Worth to Cleburne