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| Car Number 25 |
All of us are fortunate that all of the old electric railway cars from the early 1900's were not destroyed. Some have been restored to their original grandeur.
On permanent display at Fort Worth's Intermodal Transportation Center since 2001, this trolley was taken over and restored in 1995 by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority. and has been on permanent display the Intermodal Transportation Center at 1001 Jones Street in downtown Fort Worth Texas.
From Mules to Electricity
The first streetcar appeared in Fort Worth in 1876 when the Texas and Pacific Railroad came to town. Fort Worth experienced such a boom at that time that the trolley system was a necessity. People had to have a way to get from the train station to the central square. Until the year 1880 all streetcars were pulled by mules.
The first electric rail line grew out of the Fort Worth Trolley System that began service in 1890. The old electric cars look more like traditional train cars but were powered by an electrical motor like a trolley.In 1924 these trains were updated with bright red colors and new upholstery.
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| North Texas Traction Company car |
The Crimson Limited
The Crimson Limited series of train cars began in 1924 and due mostly to the competition with the automobile. The North Texas Traction Company promoted the theory that it's mass transportation system was needed for community development.
Express service was offered which meant that there were no local stops between the two cities. These were the cars with refurbished interiors to add comfort to travel. The number 25 Limited Express features two types of chairs...the Salounge Chair and the Parlor Chair. Quite different than the earliest trolley cars.
Interestingly enough, you might find the interior of cars like Number 25 a bit different than you would expect. Included inside was a kitchen with range, refrigerator and cabinets.The Number 25 was operated as a limited train without stops between the two big cities.
What was offered by the Crimson Limited was speed and comfort. This was a necessity when competing with the automobile. No traffic jams and interior refinements were the rule. The rail line between the two cities was 35 miles long.
Schedules of the Crimson Limited
The times below will give you an idea of how often these historic trolley trains ran between Fort Worth and Dallas.
The trolley left Fort Worth daily at 10:30A, 2:30P and 6:30 P. Dallas departures were at 8:30A, 12:30P and 4:30P.
The Year 1934
Big changes for the interurban railway between Fort Worth and Dallas Texas occurred in 1934.
The right away that the rail line enjoyed was about to be turned over to the automobile. In other words, the right of way was to become a highway. What was proposed by officials was that a super highway would be built between the two large cities.
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| Crimson Limited electric rail car |
When the demise of the Fort Worth to Dallas express rail line was realized, rolling stock was either hauled off and used for storage or became diners. All of us has seen one of these trolley diners at one time or another. The plan was to eventually sell off these cars if and when a buyer could be found. The railroad ties would be taken up and sold for firewood. The market for steel rails was not healthy so these were essentially put into storage waiting for better times. In the case of car Number 25 shown in this article, it was taken to a farm at Eagle Mountain Lake north of Fort Worth
Some of the cars taken out of service were actually made into houses by adding a new roof and siding. This would have all occurred during the years of the Great Depression.
Below are additional Western Trips photo articles you may enjoy ...
The Interurban Railway Museum
Northern Electric Railroad in California
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| Restored seating in Car 25 |
In addition to the display of car Number 25 at the Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center there is an excellent trolley railcar museum located in Plano Texas, a northern Dallas suburb.
The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano Texas has done a terrific job of explaining just how these electric railroads operated before the automobile caused their decline. The rail museum has an array of exhibits that explain just how these railroads operated. The Interurban Railway Museum is located at 901 E. 15th Street in downtown Plano Texas about five blocks east of US Hwy 75. Located just in front of the museum building is a fully restored Texas Electric railway car. The exhibits are very in depth and paint a very interesting picture of what it was like to not only operate the system but also to ride on it.
(Article and photos copyright 2013 Western Trips)
