FORT WORTH, Texas — Officials from transit agencies serving Dallas and Fort Worth are exploring the possibility of creating a one-seat ride on their two commuter rail lines serving DFW Airport, a move which would create a single corridor covering almost 60 miles.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that officials are working to make it possible to offer direct service on TEXRail, the Fort Worth-to-DFW Airport route operated by Trinity Metro that opened in January, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Silver Line, which will run from DFW Airport to Plano. That service is slated to begin in 2022.
Both systems will operate diesel multiple unit trainsets built by Stadler Rail, and will share stations at the north end of the airport and at its Terminal B. But so far, the newspaper reports, there is no agreement between the two agencies to allow each others’ trains to operate on their lines.
Trinity Metro president Bob Baulsir and DART executive director Gary Thomas tell the paper they are optimistic an agreement can be reached, but if not, regional officials are willing to mediate. At least one — Fort Worth councilman Jugus Jordan, a member of the Regional Transportation Council that coordinates area transit planning — is a proponent of a single agency that would include Trinity Metro, DART, and the Denton County Transportation Authority, which runs the 21-mile A-Train service from Denton to a connection with DART in Carrolton, Texas.
