View source for Trinity Railway Express

{{Short description|Commuter rail service in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Texas}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name            = Trinity Railway Express
| color           = 002579
| logo            = TRE logo.svg
| logo_width      = 100
| image           = TRE Train F59PH 566 leading.jpg
| caption         = [[EMD F59PH]] at [[Dallas Union Station]] in November 2004
| type            = [[Commuter rail]]
| status          = <!-- Only use when line is not operating normally -->
| locale          = [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]]
| start           = [[Dallas Union Station|Union Station]], Dallas
| end             = [[T&P Station]], Fort Worth
| stations        = 10
| daily_ridership = {{American transit ridership|TX Dallas-Fort Worth total daily}} ({{American transit ridership|dailydate}}){{American transit ridership|dailycitation}}
| ridership2      = {{American transit ridership|TX Dallas-Fort Worth total annual}} ({{American transit ridership|annualdate}}){{American transit ridership|annualcitation}}
| open            = {{Start date and age|1996|12|30}}
| owner           = [[Dallas Area Rapid Transit]] (50%)<br />[[Trinity Metro]] (50%)
| operator        = Herzog Transit Services
| stock           =
| linelength      = {{Convert|34|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| gauge           = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| speed           =
| website ={{URL|https://trinityrailwayexpress.org|trinityrailwayexpress.org}}
| map             = {{switcher
| {{maplink-road|from=Trinity Railway Express.map}} Trinity Railway Express highlighted in blue <hr/>
| Show interactive map
| {{Trinity Railway Express|inline=yes}}
| Show route diagram
}}
}}

The '''Trinity Railway Express''' ('''TRE''') is a [[commuter rail]] service in the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]], Texas, United States. It was established by an interlocal agreement between [[Dallas Area Rapid Transit]] (DART) and [[Trinity Metro]]. Each transit authority owns a 50% stake in the joint rail project and contractor Herzog Transit Services operates the line. The TRE began operating in December 1996.<ref name="20 years later">{{cite news |last=Dickson|first=Gordon |title=20 years later, there's plenty to love (and not) about the TRE |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram|Star-Telegram]] |location=[[Fort Worth, Texas]]|date=November 26, 2016 |url=http://www.star-telegram.com/news/traffic/your-commute/article117201988.html |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref><ref name="DMN_2010-02-16">{{cite web |last=Mueller |first=Sarah |title=Dallas woman killed Monday by TRE train identified |newspaper=Dallas Morning News |date=February 16, 2010 |access-date=February 16, 2010 |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/021610dnmettredeath.12360e74a.html}}</ref>

In {{American transit ridership|annualdate}}, the system had a ridership of {{American transit ridership|TX Dallas-Fort Worth total annual}}, or about {{American transit ridership|TX Dallas-Fort Worth total daily}} per weekday as of {{American transit ridership|dailydateasof}}, making it the [[List of United States commuter rail systems by ridership|seventeenth most-ridden commuter rail system]] in the United States.

Before 2006, the TRE was typically shown as a green line on DART maps and therefore was sometimes referred to as the "Green Line," but this was not an official designation. In 2006, DART chose green as the color for its new [[light rail]] route, the {{DART G|style=nf}}. Since 2006, the TRE has been shown as a dark blue line on DART maps.

== History ==
Named after the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]], the West Fork of which flows from Fort Worth to Dallas, the TRE was launched on December 30, 1996,<ref name="20 years later" /> shortly after the inaugural service of Dallas' [[DART light rail]] system, operating from [[Dallas Union Station|Dallas Union Transit Station]] to the [[Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing station|South Irving Transit Station]].<ref name="tnerj-1997spr" /> It runs along a former [[Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad]] line that the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth purchased in 1983 for $34&nbsp;million.<ref name="trains-2006jul" />

Service initially operated only in weekday [[rush hour]]s, but midday and evening service was added in December 1997,<ref name="trains-2006jul">{{cite news |last=Van Hattem|first=Matt|title=Trinity Railway Express: The commuter railroad linking Dallas and Fort Worth|magazine=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]] |date=July 2, 2006 |url=http://trn.trains.com/railroads/2006/07/trinity-railway-express |access-date=August 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810150558/http://trn.trains.com/railroads/2006/07/trinity-railway-express |archive-date=August 10, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and Saturday service was added in December 1998.<ref name="trains-2006jul" /><ref name="railnews-1999mar">{{cite news |last=Wolinsky|first=Julian|title=Commuter/Transit [regular monthly news section]|magazine=[[Pacific RailNews|RailNews]] |date=March 1999 |page=30 |url=http://original.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/181/13148/march-1999-page-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810144410/http://original.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/181/13148/march-1999-page-30 |archive-date=August 10, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On September 18, 2000, the line was extended to the suburb of [[Trinity Lakes station#History|Richland Hills]]<ref name="trains-2006jul" /> and, for the first time, there was rail service available between downtown Dallas and [[Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport]]. On November 13, 2000, the [[West Irving station|West Irving Transit Station]] also opened. On December 3, 2001, the TRE was extended to its current terminus at the [[T&P Station]] in downtown Fort Worth.<ref name="trains-2006jul" /> On February 17, 2024, Richland Hills station was closed,<ref>{{cite news |title=Trinity Lakes Station opens Feb. 19 |url=https://ridetrinitymetro.org/trinity-lakes-station-opens-monday-feb-19/ |website=[[Trinity Metro]] |access-date=February 19, 2024 |date=February 5, 2024}}</ref> being replaced by [[Trinity Lakes station]], which opened on February 19, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trinity Lakes Station |url=https://trinityrailwayexpress.org/trinity-lakes-station/ |website=Trinity Railway Express |access-date=February 18, 2024}}</ref>

== Route ==
The eastern terminus of the TRE route is [[Dallas Union Station]] on the west side of downtown Dallas. From there, the line runs northwest parallel to [[Interstate 35E (Texas)|Interstate 35E]], passing [[American Airlines Center]] and [[Dallas Market Center]] before turning west. The line crosses the Elm Fork of the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]] into [[Irving, Texas|Irving]], passing through Irving's historic downtown district. The train continues west to the [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas County]]/[[Tarrant County, Texas|Tarrant County]] border, passing under the [[President George Bush Turnpike]].

While crossing into Tarrant County, the line passes about four miles south of [[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport]]. The line passes over [[Texas State Highway 360|SH-360]] and takes a slight southwest turn along the northern city limits of [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]]. It turns slightly northwest towards [[Bell station (TRE)|Bell]] before following the southern city limits of [[Hurst, Texas|Hurst]]. As it approaches [[Interstate 820 (Texas)|Interstate 820]], it takes a sharper southwest turn towards downtown Fort Worth, passing through [[Richland Hills, Texas|Richland Hills]] and [[Haltom City, Texas|Haltom City]]. The line enters downtown Fort Worth from the northeast, passing under [[Interstate 35W (Texas)|Interstate 35W]] and curving towards [[Fort Worth Central Station]]. Finally, the track curls around downtown Fort Worth towards [[T&P Station]].

According to current TRE schedules, a one-way trip in either direction takes approximately 1 hour and 2 minutes.<ref name="TRE Schedule">{{Cite web |date= |title=All TRE Schedules - 11/2023 |url=https://trinityrailwayexpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ALL-TRE-SCHEDULES_112023.pdf |website=Trinity Railway Express |publisher=[[Dallas Area Rapid Transit]] and [[Trinity Metro]]}}</ref>

== Service ==
TRE provides service six days a week from 4 AM (5 AM on Saturdays) to midnight (1 AM on Fridays). Trains are scheduled to arrive once every hour, or once every half-hour on weekdays during peak periods (4 to 9 AM and 2 to 7 PM).<ref name="TRE Schedule" /> TRE does not provide service on Sundays except during the [[State Fair of Texas]], in which case a Saturday schedule is used.

The TRE service yard is located in Irving between [[West Irving station|West Irving]] and [[CentrePort/DFW Airport station|CentrePort/DFW]]. During the start and end of both service time and peak periods, some trains will start or end at one of these stations.<ref name="TRE Schedule" />

=== TRE Link ===
Because TRE passes south of [[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport]], the airport is serviced via a shuttle bus that runs between [[CentrePort/DFW Airport station|CentrePort/DFW]] and the airport's Terminal B. The Terminal B stop provides a connection to [[TEXRail]] via a pedestrian path. Branded as TRE Link and operated by [[Trinity Metro]], the shuttle runs every 20–40 minutes during TRE operating hours.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-17 |title=TRE Link Schedule - September 2023 |url=https://ridetrinitymetro.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/TRE-Link-September-2023.pdf |website=Trinity Metro}}</ref>

== Rolling Stock ==
{| class="wikitable"
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
! rowspan="2" |&nbsp;Class&nbsp;
! rowspan="2" |Image
! rowspan="2" |&nbsp;Type(s)&nbsp;
! colspan="2" |&nbsp;Top speed&nbsp;
! rowspan="2" |&nbsp;Number&nbsp;
! rowspan="2" |&nbsp;Built&nbsp;
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
!&nbsp;mph&nbsp;
!&nbsp;km/h&nbsp;
|-
|[[EMD F40PH]]
|
|[[Diesel Locomotive]]
|110
|177
|2
|1981–1985
|-
|[[EMD F59PH]]
|[[File:Dallas Union Station June 2016.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel Locomotive]]
|110
|177
|7
|1988–1994
Late 2010 (Overhaul)
|-
|[[EMD F59PHI]]
|[[File:Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center June 2016 7.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel Locomotive]]
|110
|177
|2
|2001
|-
|[[Bombardier BiLevel Coach]]
|[[File:Trinity Railway Express W Hotel.jpg|100px]]
|[[Passenger railroad car#Coach|Coach Car]]<br />[[Cab Car]]
|95
|150
|25
|1976–77<br />2003<br />2007<br />2009
|-
! colspan="7" align="center"| Former fleet
|-
|[[Budd Rail Diesel Car#Variants|Budd RDC-1]]<ref name="railnews-1997mar">{{cite news |last=Wallace|first=Rich|title=Dallas Welcomes Trinity Commuter Railway|magazine=[[Pacific RailNews|RailNews]] |date=March 1997 |page=13|url=http://original.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/237/17482/march-1997-page-13 |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref>
|[[File:TRE Budd Rail diesel car.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel Multiple Unit]]
|85<ref name="railnews-1997mar" />
|137
|13
|1954–58
|}

=== Diesel locomotives ===
TRE has a fleet of 11 locomotives.

* [[EMD F59PH]] IV (1994)
There are seven EMD F59PH IV locomotives that were acquired from [[GO Transit]].&nbsp; The original numbers for these were #525, #527–528 and #565–568.
These were overhauled in late 2010 by the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] and RELCO Locomotive to meet [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]] standards and renumbered 120–126.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2010/12/Trinity%20Railway%20Express%20receives%20upgraded%20F59PHs.aspx|title=Trinity Railway Express receives upgraded F59PHs|publisher=Trains Magazine|date=December 13, 2010|access-date=December 17, 2010}}</ref>
* [[EMD F59PHI]] (2001)
There are two EMD F59PHI locomotives that were purchased from [[Electro-Motive Diesel|EMD]]. The numbers for these are #569 and #570.
* [[EMD F40PH]] (2022)
TRE acquired 2 ex-Amtrak F40PHs No. 270 and 274 from Progress Rail in late 2021 and delivered in January 2022. They are numbered 130 and 131.
* [[Siemens Charger]] (2026)
TRE announced an order for Siemens Charger locomotives in 2024, which are to be delivered in 2026. They are slated to replace the older locomotives in the fleet.

=== Coaches ===
* [[Bombardier Transportation]] and [[Hawker Siddeley]] bi-level cabs and coaches
1000-1001 built 1983 (now coaches 1048-1049)
1002-1003 built 2003
1004-1009 built 2007

=== Former fleet ===
Until 2011, the TRE fleet included [[diesel multiple unit]]s, in the form of 13 [[Budd Rail Diesel Car]]s (RDCs) built in the 1950s for [[Canadian Pacific]] (9), [[Canadian National]] (3) and [[Boston & Maine Corporation|Boston & Maine]] (1).<ref>Metroplex mover ''[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]]'' May 1999 pages 50-52</ref> They were purchased used from [[Via Rail Canada]] in 1993. All were remanufactured by [[Alstom|GEC-Alsthom]] in [[Montreal]]. They entered service in March and April 1997<ref>{{cite news |last=Wallace|first=Rich|title=Questions and Answers for Dallas' Commuter Rail|magazine=[[Pacific RailNews|RailNews]] |date=May 1997 |pages=11–12|url=http://original.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/239/17681/may-1997-page-11 |access-date=February 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810142406/https://original.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/239/17681/may-1997-page-11 |archive-date=August 10, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{spaced endash}}after trains leased from [[Amtrak]] and the [[Connecticut Department of Transportation]] temporarily provided initial TRE service when the RDCs were not ready in time for the inauguration of TRE service<ref name="tnerj-1997spr">{{cite news |last=Cumbie|first=Jim|title=Dallas—Phase 2 |magazine=[[The New Electric Railway Journal]] |date=Spring 1997 |pages=12–13}}</ref> in December 1996{{spaced endash}}and thereafter provided all service for the line's first two to three years. They remained in service for about 14 years, the last cars being taken off of TRE service in March 2011.<ref name="DMN-2017apr14">{{cite news |last=Fancher |first=Julie |title=DART is selling these cool vintage railcars |newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |date=April 14, 2017 |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2017/04/14/dart-selling-cool-vintage-railcars |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> In 2010–2011, 11 of the 13 cars were leased to [[Denton County Transportation Authority]] for operation on the [[A-train (Denton County Transportation Authority)|A-train]]. They were returned in 2012 and placed in storage at the TRE shops in Irving, Texas.  In spring 2017, 12 RDCs were sold via auction to AllEarth Rail,<ref name="DMN-2017apr14" /><ref name="trains-2017apr">{{cite news |title=Vermont solar panel company buys RDCs |magazine=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]] |date=April 10, 2017 |url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2017/04/10-vermont-rdc |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> a [[Vermont]]-based private company that intends to use them to operate commuter rail service connecting the Vermont cities of [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]] and [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]].<ref name="trains-2017apr" /> AllEarth subsequently resold two of the TRE cars to [[TriMet]], of [[Portland, Oregon]],<ref name="vermont-business">{{cite news |last=Hall |first= C.B. |title=AllEarth's commuter rail Budd cars pull into Vermont |magazine=Vermont Business Magazine |date=August 15, 2017 |url=https://vermontbiz.com/news/2017/august/15/allearths-commuter-rail-budd-cars-pull-vermont |access-date=February 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920045643/https://vermontbiz.com/news/2017/august/15/allearths-commuter-rail-budd-cars-pull-vermont |archive-date=September 20, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> before they had left Texas, and those two Dallas RDCs (Nos. 2007 and 2011) were moved in August 2017 from Texas to Oregon, where TriMet planned to use them on its [[WES Commuter Rail]] service.<ref name="taut-2017oct">{{cite news |title=Worldwide Review [regular monthly news section]|date=October 2017|magazine=[[Tramways & Urban Transit]]|page=394|publisher=LRTA Publishing|location=UK|issn=1460-8324}}</ref> The other 10 RDCs were moved to Vermont the same month.<ref name="vermont-business" /> Meanwhile, the last RDC was donated to the [[Museum of the American Railroad]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Last DART RDC Joins Museum Collection |url=https://www.historictrains.org/news/last-dart-rdc-joins-museum-collection |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Museum of the American Railroad |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Train consist ===
[[File:Irving June 2019 03 (Trinity Railway Express).jpg|thumb|Trinity Railway Express train with [[Bombardier BiLevel Coach]]es]]{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2023}}
Each train includes at least one locomotive unit and one bi-level cab car. Typically, one or two additional coach cars are included between the locomotive and cab car.  Each cab car (and thus each train) has a restroom and passengers may move between cars during the trip. The trip from Union Station to T&P Station takes just over an hour, with scheduled trip times ranging from one hour, three minutes to one hour, eleven minutes. Track improvements are currently{{when|date=January 2020}} underway which should offer an improvement in travel times by double-tracking certain stations and sections of the route. Currently,{{when|date=January 2020}} portions of the route are single-track, requiring eastbound and westbound trains to meet only at certain points and requiring some eastbound trains to hold for 5–7 minutes to wait for a westbound train to get to the passing area.

== Stations ==
Stations in the West fare zone are included in [[Trinity Metro]] local fares, while stations in the East fare zone are included in [[Dallas Area Rapid Transit|DART]] local fares. Travel from one zone to the other requires a regional fare from either agency.
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!Fare zone
! Station
! Parking
! Municipality
! Points of interest and major connections
|-
| rowspan="4" |West ([[Tarrant County, Texas|Tarrant County]])
|[[T&P Station]]
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga parking inv.svg|20px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]]
|{{rint|rail|1}} '''[[Trinity Metro]]''': {{rint|texas|tex|showtext=yes}}
|-
|[[Fort Worth Central Station]]{{efn|group=stations|Formerly Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center}}
|
|Serves [[Fort Worth Convention Center]], [[Fort Worth Water Gardens]], [[Sundance Square]]<br />{{rint|rail|1}} '''Trinity Metro''': {{rint|texas|tex|showtext=yes}}<br />{{rint|us|amtrak}} '''[[Amtrak]]''': {{lnl|system=Amtrak|line=Heartland Flyer}}, {{lnl|system=Amtrak|line=Texas Eagle}}
|-
|{{stn|Trinity Lakes}}{{efn|group=stations|Replaced [[Richland Hills Station]] in 2024}}
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga parking inv.svg|20px]]
|Will serve planned Trinity Lakes [[Mixed-use development|mixed-use]] [[transit-oriented development]]
|-
|[[Bell station (TRE)|Bell]]{{efn|group=stations|Formerly Hurst/Bell station}}
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga parking inv.svg|20px]]
|[[Hurst, Texas|Hurst]]{{efn|group=stations|Bell station is located in Fort Worth but uses a Hurst postal code}}
|Serves [[Bell Textron]] plant
|-
|West/East{{Efn|Centreport/DFW Airport station, while located in Tarrant County, is included in both zones|group=stations}}
|[[CentrePort/DFW Airport station|CentrePort/DFW Airport]]
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga parking inv.svg|20px]]
|Fort Worth
|Serves {{rint|air}} [[Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport]] via {{rint|bus|1}} TRE Link shuttle
|-
| rowspan="5" |East ([[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas County]])
|[[West Irving station|West Irving]]
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga parking inv.svg|20px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Irving, Texas|Irving]]
|
|-
|[[Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing station|Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing]]{{efn|group=stations|Formerly South Irving station}}
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga parking inv.svg|20px]]
|
|-
|[[Medical/Market Center station|Medical/Market Center]]
|
| rowspan="3" |[[Dallas]]
|Serves [[Parkland Memorial Hospital]], [[University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center]], [[Children's Medical Center Dallas]], [[Dallas Market Center]]
|-
|[[Victory station|Victory]]
|
|Serves [[American Airlines Center]]<br />{{rint|dart|link=DART light rail}} '''[[DART light rail]]''': {{rint|dart|green|showtext=yes}} {{rint|dart|orange|showtext=yes}}
|-
|[[Dallas Union Station|Union Station]]
|
|Serves [[Reunion Tower]], [[Dealey Plaza]]<br />{{rint|dart|link=DART light rail}} '''DART light rail''': {{rint|dart|blue|showtext=yes}} {{rint|dart|red|showtext=yes}}<br />{{rint|us|amtrak}} '''Amtrak''': {{lnl|system=Amtrak|line=Texas Eagle}}<br />{{rint|dart|streetcar|showtext=yes}}
|}
{{notelist|group=stations}}

== Gallery ==

<gallery class="center">
File:DART S Irving Sta.jpg|TRE train at [[Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing station|South Irving station]]
File:Texas&PacificStation1.jpg|The TRE stops at the historic [[T&P Station]] in Fort Worth
File:TRE@FWITC.jpg|Trinity Railway Express train pulling into [[Fort Worth Central Station]]
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
{{Commons category|Trinity Railway Express}}

* {{Official website|http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org}}
** [https://www.dart.org/ Dallas Area Rapid Transit]
** [https://ridetrinitymetro.org/ Trinity Metro]
* [https://dartorgcmsblob.dart.org/prod/docs/default-source/dart-maps/dartrailsystemmap24jan22-1.pdf Full DART Rail map]

{{Dallas Area Rapid Transit}}
{{Commuter rail in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex}}
{{USCommRail}}

[[Category:Trinity Railway Express| ]]
[[Category:Dallas Area Rapid Transit]]
[[Category:Rail transportation in Fort Worth, Texas]]
[[Category:Texas railroads]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1996]]
[[Category:Commuter rail in the United States]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Texas]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:Joint ventures]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1996]]
[[Category:Transportation in Irving, Texas]]
[[Category:Rail transportation in Dallas]]