TEXRail

Grapevine citizens voted 8,058 to 2,898 on November 7, 2006 to levy a 1-cent sales tax, of which {{frac|3|8}}¢ would authorize Grapevine to contract with Trinity Metro for rail service and another {{frac|1|8}}¢ for other transit improvements, like a downtown parking garage.[http://elections.star-telegram.com/Results/ Grapevine election results] This includes an expansion of the commuter rail system to link southwest Fort Worth to the north end of DFW International Airport.

Trinity Metro's Board of Directors finalized their plans in October 2006 for the southwest-to-northeast expansion. Two commuter routes, a light rail route and a bus rapid transit route were under consideration. The Board's recommendation was a commuter rail line that runs in the southwest part of the city near Sycamore School Road, running near Texas Christian University and the Medical District on its way to the existing T&P Station and Fort Worth Central station. At that point it turns northwest toward the Stockyards before turning northeast toward DFW International Airport. Preliminary plans call for nine new stations with eleven total,{{cite web |title=Southwest to Northeast Transportation Corridor Study - Public Meeting Presentation |url=https://www.commentmgr.com/projects/1159/docs/Public%20Meeting%20Presentation_Oct%202006.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325114619/https://www.commentmgr.com/projects/1159/docs/Public%20Meeting%20Presentation_Oct%202006.pdf |archive-date=March 25, 2009 |url-status=usurped}} and could be contingent on other cities along the corridor joining the agency.

A proposal to use private funding to construct both TEXRail and DART's Dallas County segment was considered, but this plan was abandoned after necessary legislation was not passed in the State Legislature.{{cite web | url = http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/05/29/4892856/cotton-belt-funding-bill-dies.html | title = Cotton Belt funding bill dies in Legislature | last = Dickson | first = Gordon | publisher = Fort Worth Star-Telegram | date = May 29, 2013 | access-date = April 13, 2014}} Following this legislative defeat, Trinity Metro began pursuing federal grant funds in order to build TEXRail. On March 5, 2014, it was announced that the TEXRail project would receive $50 million in federal grant funds from President Barack Obama's 2015 New Starts Funding Budget.{{cite web | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/tex-rail-plan-gets-50-million-in-federal-funds/ | title = TEX Rail Plan Gets $50-Million In Federal Funds | publisher = CBSDFW.com | date=March 5, 2014 | access-date = August 13, 2014}}

In April 2015, Trinity Metro approved a contract for pre-construction services, awarded to an Archer Western Contractors/Herzog Contracting Corp (Archer Western Herzog) a joint venture, as well as approving the final design for the Iron Horse and Smithfield Road stations.{{cite web | url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/04/tex-rail-contracts-approved | title=TEX Rail contracts approved | publisher=Trains | date=April 28, 2015 | access-date=April 29, 2015}}

On June 9, 2015, Trinity Metro ordered an initial eight 4-car articulated Stadler FLIRTs DMUs. The contract was valued at $106.7 million, with an option for up to 24 additional DMUs, and includes the supply of components for 10 years. This was Switzerland-based Stadler's first order in the US for any model outside its Stadler GTW product line, therefore making it subject to the regulations of the Buy America Act. As such, one element of the contract is that the final assembly of the trains will take place in the US, at their plant in Salt Lake City.{{cite web|title=TEX Rail orders Stadler Flirt DMUs |website=Railway Gazette International|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/tex-rail-orders-stadler-flirt-dmus.html|date=June 11, 2015}}{{cite web| url=http://www.stadlerrail.com/en/news/2015/06/10/stadler-rail-wins-100-million-dollar-contract-in-t/| title=Stadler Rail wins 100-million-dollar contract in Texas| website=Stadler Rail| date=June 10, 2015| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621185402/http://www.stadlerrail.com/en/news/2015/06/10/stadler-rail-wins-100-million-dollar-contract-in-t/| archive-date=June 21, 2015| df=mdy-all}}Location of Stadler manufacturing plant. http://www.sltrib.com/news/business/2017/10/13/stadler-breaks-ground-on-railcar-manufacturing-plant-expected-to-employ-1000-in-west-salt-lake-city/

That same month, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) gave approval for the project to advance into the engineering phase that immediately precedes the start of construction.{{cite web| title=TEX Rail receives FTA approval to enter engineering phase| publisher=Simmons-Boardman Publishing| website=Railway Track & Structures (RTS)| date=June 5, 2015 | url=http://www.rtands.com/index.php/passenger/commuter-regional/tex-rail-receives-fta-approval-to-enter-engineering-phase.html}} In June 2016, Trinity Metro received a Letter of No Prejudice from the FTA, essentially green-lighting the project. In reaction to this, Trinity Metro said they planned to start preliminary construction in July 2016, on track for a planned opening date in December 2018.{{cite web| title=TEX Rail Set To Become Reality, But…| website=CBS DFW| date=June 28, 2016 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/tex-rail-set-to-become-reality-but/}} DFW Airport also said they would provide the $40 million to build the station at Terminal B, with an opening date in late 2018.{{cite web| title=D/FW Airport Approves TEX Rail Station at Terminal B| website=NBC DFW| date=July 1, 2016 | url=http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/DFW-Airport-Approves-TEX-Rail-Station-at-Terminal-B-385178471.html}}

Construction on the line officially started on August 24, 2016, with a groundbreaking held at Grapevine's historic depot, the site of Grapevine-Main Street station.{{cite web | url=http://www.star-telegram.com/news/traffic/your-commute/article97566092.html | title=Finally, TEX Rail project underway from Fort Worth to Grapevine and DFW | publisher=Star-Telegram (Fort Worth) | access-date=August 25, 2016}}

On January 4, 2019, less than 12 hours before service was scheduled to commence, the opening was suspended due to signal issues identified during an inspection by Federal Railroad Administration officials along the southern end of the line in Downtown Fort Worth.{{cite news |last1=Leszcynski |first1=Ray |title=TEXRail calls off Saturday's planned debut after signal issue stalls federal clearance |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2019/01/04/texrail-calls-saturdays-planned-debut-after-signal-issue-stalls-federal-clearance |access-date=January 7, 2019 |work=Dallas Morning News |date=January 4, 2019}} The new opening took place on January 10, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://ridetrinitymetro.org/texrail-passenger-service/|title=TEXRail Passenger Service|last=Ladner|first=Darren|date=2019-01-07|website=Trinity Metro|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-08}}Sweet Ride Trains December 2019 pages 44-47

{{update-section|date=August 2024}}

Scott Mahaffey, Trinity Metro board chairman, has expressed interest in extending the line south and adding two stations to serve the medical district and Texas Christian University at an estimated additional cost of $200 million. This extension could be completed by 2025, when all additional planned and proposed stations are added the line will be an additional 14 miles longer. City Councilman Jungus Jordan has said that he would like to see the line go even farther south to serve Tarleton State University's new campus near the Chisholm Trail Parkway.{{Cite news |last1=Dickson |first1=Gordon |title=Fort Worth is crazy over TEXRail, so is now the time to extend the trains south and west? |url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/traffic/honkin-mad-blog/article224598085.html |access-date=March 18, 2019 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |date=January 18, 2019}} In 2020, $38.9 million was granted by the U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Transit Administration to extend the line to the medical district.{{cite news |last1=Jaimes |first1=Miranda |title=TEXRail train system to add station, extend to Fort Worth Medical District |url=https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/grapevine-colleyville-southlake/development/2020/02/28/texrail-train-system-to-add-station-extend-to-fort-worth-medical-district/ |access-date=26 July 2020 |agency=Community Impact |date=2 March 2020}} Under the proposed expansion plan, construction would start in spring 2024 with completion by the fall of 2026, total cost is projected to be $167 million.

Travel time from T&P Station to DFW International Airport is estimated to be approximately 55 minutes. There are 73 trips per day, with 30 minute headways between start of service at 3:20am to 9:00am for morning rush, 2:30pm to 7:00pm for afternoon rush, with 1-hour headways outside of the rush hour time periods; all 100 series trains listed on the Trinity Metro TEXRail schedule do not complete full journeys from FTW to DFW or vice versa.{{cite web |title=TEXRail Schedules |url=https://ridetrinitymetro.org/texrail-schedule/ |website=Trinity Metro |access-date= 17 January 2022}}

The line is predominantly single tracked, with passing sidings installed to allow for 30-minute headways.{{cite web |title=Appendix B: Operations and Maintenance Plan |url=https://www.dart.org/ShareRoot/about/expansion/cottonbelt/cottonbeltfeis/appendix_b/B_19OperationsandMaintenance.pdf |website=DART |access-date=18 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719004008/https://www.dart.org/ShareRoot/about/expansion/cottonbelt/cottonbeltfeis/appendix_b/B_19OperationsandMaintenance.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2022}}

Stations were opened on December 31, 2018:{{cite web | url = http://www.texrail.com/Portals/0/Documents/Presentations/TEX%20Rail%20DMU%20PreProposal%20Presentation6-30-14.pdf | title = TEX Rail Diesel Multiple Unit Train Sets RFP 14-T008 | publisher = The T | date = June 30, 2014 | access-date = August 13, 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140814021941/http://www.texrail.com/Portals/0/Documents/Presentations/TEX%20Rail%20DMU%20PreProposal%20Presentation6-30-14.pdf | archive-date = August 14, 2014 | df = mdy-all }}

File:TEXRail Stadler FLIRT DFW Airport Nov 2019.jpg trainset entering DFW Airport Terminal B Station in 2019.]]

File:TEXRail Stadler FLIRT Interior 2.jpg

Trinity Metro provides TEXRail service using eight Stadler FLIRT self-propelled diesel multiple units (DMU), TEXRail 101-108, capable of seating 229 passengers and carrying up to 488 passengers.{{cite web |title=Overview |url=http://www.texrail.com/about/overview/ |website=TEXRail |publisher=Trinity Metro |access-date=August 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914154811/http://www.texrail.com/about/overview/ |archive-date=September 14, 2018}} In TEXRail application, the diesel power module contains two {{convert|520|kW|0|adj=mid}} (1400 hp Total) Deutz AG TCD 16.0 V8 engines that comply with US EPA Tier 4 emission standard, able to achieve a top speed of {{convert|130|km/h|mph|abbr=on|order=flip}}, however mainline track speed is limited to 70 mph. These units at {{convert|266|ft|m}} long weigh in at {{convert|352,000|lb|t}} empty ({{convert|443,000|lb|t}} full load).{{cite web | url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/stadler-unveils-tex-rail-flirt-dmu.html | title=Stadler unveils TEX Rail Flirt DMU | publisher=Railway Gazette International | date=October 10, 2017 | access-date=December 28, 2018}}

The contract to purchase eight trainsets, valued at about $100 million, was awarded to Stadler in June 2015. The first set was delivered in October 2017,{{cite web | url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/traffic/your-commute/article183886361.html | title=Why TEX Rail commuter train cars may be safer than older models | publisher=Star-Telegram | date=November 10, 2017 | access-date=December 28, 2018}} and four more sets had arrived by November 2018.{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/New-TEXRail-Train-Tests-Continue-Before-Service-Launch--499769371.html | title=New TEXRail Train Tests Continue Before Service Launch | publisher=NBCDFW.com | date=November 6, 2018 | access-date=December 28, 2018}} Equipment testing and crew training started in March 2018.{{cite web | url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/northeast-tarrant/article203920199.html | title=$105 million Grapevine Main on track to be the coolest place in Texas to catch a train | publisher=Star-Telegram | date=March 7, 2018 | access-date=December 28, 2018}}

Each rail vehicle is configured with an operator cab at either end for bidirectional movement. At the center of the train is the power pack with two diesel engines, with a passageway to allow access to other parts of the train, and allows it to be much quieter than traditional commuter rail. TEXRail vehicle amenities include USB ports equipped at every seat, work tables, lap trays, a quiet car, ADA compliant level boarding, overhead luggage racks, bike racks, and a restroom near the center of each train.{{cite web |last1=Starcic |first1=Janna |title=Fort Worth 'FLIRTs' with New Train Tech for Airport Link |url=http://www.metro-magazine.com/rail/article/728418/fort-worth-flirts-with-new-train-tech-for-airport-link |website=Fort Worth 'FLIRTs' with New Train Tech for Airport Link |publisher=Metro Magazine |access-date=August 2, 2018 |date=February 14, 2018}}

In 2019, before its delivery to Fort Worth, Stadler used the eighth and final TEXRail vehicle in a ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of the golden spike, which marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. The vehicle used in the ceremony was nicknamed "Spike", which was emblazoned on the vehicle's front.{{Cite news |last=Dickson |first=Gordon |date=2019-05-10 |title=Why is TEXRail naming this train car Spike? |url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/traffic/honkin-mad-blog/article230237589.html |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |publisher=The McClatchy Company}} In 2024, Trinity Metro held a contest to name the other seven TEXRail trains.{{Cite web |last=Behrndt |first=Rachel |date=2024-05-18 |title=Newly-named TEXRail trains hit the tracks |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/travel/texrail-trains-fort-worth-dfw-airport/287-a3889b3a-6810-44ad-9d5e-7aff13a42d2b |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=WFAA |publisher=Tegna Inc. |language=en-US}} New train names are:

Four additional FLIRT trainsets were ordered from Stadler in late 2024. Delivery is expected in 2027. {{cite web | url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/texrail-orders-more-stadler-trainsets/ | title=TEXRail orders more Stadler trainsets | publisher=Trains.com | date=November 25, 2024 | access-date=November 26, 2024}}

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Category:Passenger rail transportation in Texas

Category:Rail transportation in Fort Worth, Texas

Category:Railway lines opened in 2019

Category:Commuter rail in the United States

Category:2019 establishments in Texas