Related Links
North Central Texas Council of Governments
Trinity Railway Express riders enjoy night on town in Dallas
Not every article about transportation issues is dry and boring. These Fort Worth residents enjoyed a night on the town in the foreign land known as Dallas thanks to the wildly successful Trinity Railway Express -- even though it only went as far as Centreport Station one Saturday night in November.Note: the article does have a slight inaccuracy. Since the Centreport to Union Station trip crosses a fare boundary, the one-way ticket price is $2, not $1. A round-trip is $4 -- the same as a Day Pass. Do keep the fare zone boundaries in mind when riding the train. And before you balk at paying $4 to get into Dallas, remember how much it costs to park at the West End -- and how much you'll spend on aspirin after driving in that traffic!
This article is copyright 2000, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Trinity Railway Express riders enjoy night on town in Dallas
By Terry Lee GoodrichStar-Telegram Staff Writer
Some folks wanted to play tourist in Dallas. Others were curious about a nontraditional mode of travel to Big D. And some simply liked a train ride, no matter the destination.
All types were at the CentrePort-DFW Airport Station on a recent Saturday night, ready to board the Trinity Railway Express to Union Station in Dallas.
Passengers quickly found out that the customary "ALL ABOAARRRDDD" shout of yesteryear is not part of the ambience. And the view during the 29-minute trip is not scenic -- mainly warehouses and service stations.
But the destination made the trip all worthwhile, said several who made the journey to Union Station and the West End of Dallas. They alighted to find fun in an area that includes restaurants, nightclubs, street vendors and strolling entertainers.
All without the hassles of traffic and parking in a place teeming with people in search of a good time.
"This may be a commuter train, not a tourist train, but it makes you feel like a tourist," said North Richland Hills resident Leigh Copeland, 28, a bank employee who made the trip with boyfriend John Swanson of Irving.
The word is spreading. Ridership on Trinity Railway Express has increased to about 1,800 passengers on Saturdays in November from about 800 on Saturdays in September, said Morgan Lyons, spokesman for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
The 4-year-old commuter service to and from Dallas was expanded in September to include stations at CentrePort (south of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport), Hurst, Richland Hills and west Irving. While the service from Hurst and Richland Hills is weekdays only, the train from CentrePort runs all day Saturday.
For Curtis Brady, 46, of Corpus Christi, a computer programmer/systems analyst visiting friends in Grapevine, the lure was sightseeing. He and friend Laura Weber, 41, chuckled at an Elvis impersonator, dined outdoors on Mexican food and got spooked on the last night of a haunted house, where a chain saw-wielding woman dogged them.
"I love to travel, and I haven't been to downtown Dallas in 20 years," Brady said. "I was interested in seeing what's here, but I don't like to drive in traffic, and I get lost easily. The train was comfortable, clean and well-lit."
Bedford residents Robert and Kathleen Murphy, accompanied by son Nathan, 3, also scoped out the rail service.
Robert Murphy, a student at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, said he was interested in finding an alternative to driving on icy days.
Nathan was intrigued by the train because of his storybook Thomas the Tank Engine, about a good-humored blue steam train. Kathleen Murphy, a fifth-grade teacher in Hurst, said she was along for the ride.
"Does the train go really fast?" Nathan asked his parents.
They weren't sure. But the answer, DART spokesman Lyons says, is that it goes from 20 mph to 60 mph, depending on the stretch of rail and the speed limit.
When the train arrives at Union Station, travelers may walk to the West End or board a light rail train to West End Station. The transfer is free with a Trinity Railway Express ticket. A light rail train comes along about every 10 minutes, Lyons said.
Brady and Weber, who opted to walk the few blocks northeast, enjoyed the scenery along the way including the John F. Kennedy Memorial, the old red sandstone courthouse and John Neely Bryan Cabin, a restored home and trading post built in 1841 by Dallas' founder.
"The walk's a little dark, but there are lots of police around," Brady said. "You had a choice of whether to go between buildings or head to open areas if you felt safer, which is how we came across Kennedy Memorial."
In the West End, visitors have several restaurants to choose from, among them Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse, Tony Roma's, Johnny Rockets and On the Border.
For Brady and Weber, who paused to read the menu board outside Landry's Seafood Restaurant, it was difficult to decide between the day's special of blackened mahi-mahi or a friend's recommendation of shrimp fajita kebabs at the Cadillac Bar. But the vote went to the Cadillac, where they dined on the patio and listened to a variety of music that included funk and Tommy James and the Shondells.
"There's a little bit of everything here," Weber said, pointing to a passing woman sporting bunny ears and in a Mardi Gras mood.
Ubiquitous flower vendors lie in wait for passers-by. A favorite ploy is to present roses to women with a flourish, telling them, "I'm not going to charge you a thing for these!" That done, they turn to a woman's escort with a grin, saying, "I'm going to charge this gentleman for them!"
The gimmick worked on Swanson and Copeland, they said. Swanson paid up and gave Copeland a kiss.
For those who don't mind spending a bit more on transportation after they arrive in the West End, carriage rides start at $35, depending on the distance. The $35 trip is about 20 minutes, carriage drivers said.
Brady and Weber decided against the ride, but they chatted for a few minutes with a driver named Brian and petted a horse named Heidi. That done, they headed to Dick's Last Resort, a bar that boasts service with an attitude.
At Dick's, the decor includes bras slung over hockey sticks suspended from the ceiling. Waiters poke fun at customers, and don't mind if they get a little back. The harassment can come in the form of a paper hat with a sentiment written on it, a tag slapped on the back or a haranguing - - but nothing too mean-spirited, the servers said.
"The West End is close to home, but it makes me think of a high-rent French Quarter -- lots of things going on, lots of kinds of people dressed differently, lots of bars," Copeland said. "I plan to hop the train and come back."
Weekend travel on Trinity Railway Express
CentrePort-DFW Airport Station is at CentrePort Drive (which becomes Statler Boulevard) and Breezewood Drive, southeast of the Texas 360/ Trinity Boulevard intersection. Look for Trinity Railway Express Trailblazer signs.
On Fridays, trains leave from CentrePort to Union Station in Dallas at intervals of 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the time of day. Return trips from Union Station run at similar intervals. On Saturdays, trains leave CentrePort at 55 minutes past each hour and return from Union Station on the hour. No Sunday or holiday service.
A one-way ticket is $1; a round-trip ticket is $2. A $4 day pass is good for 24 hours.
For those who would rather ride than walk to the West End from Union Station, watch for a red light rail train bound for Park Lane and get off at the first stop, or take a blue light rail train with a Pearl or Mockingbird destination and get off at the first stop.
The transfer is free with a Trinity Railway Express ticket.
For information on schedules, call (877) 657-0146, (817) 215-8600, or (214) 979-1111. The Web site is www.trinityrailwayexpress.org.
Terry Lee Goodrich, (817) 685-3812
terry@star-telegram.com
Return to the home page: Bring DART to Grand Prairie!
This site is the creation of Robert Brooks (robertb@dixie-chicks.com), who is solely responsible for its content. This site is not affiliated with either the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority (DART) or the Fort Worth Transit Authority (The T). Comments and suggestions are highly welcomed!
Page created: 11/24/2000
Last update: 11/24/2000
Domain registration services by Domain Direct