The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and representatives from Union Pacific, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Amtrak, Fort Worth & Western Railroad (FW&W) and Regional Rail Right-of-Way Co. on Dec. 28, 2015 signed a shared-use operating agreement for the TEX Rail commuter rail line, slated to begin service in 2018.
TEX Rail is a 27.2-mile commuter rail project being developed by The T and will be the third passenger rail service in Tarrant County, following the DART light rail system and TRE (Trinity Railway Express), which connects Dallas with Fort Worth and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The planned route will use existing right-of-way from downtown Fort Worth, and run northeast to downtown Grapevine and then into the north entrance of DFW International Airport, serving Terminal B. The IOS (initial operating segment) will have 9 stations. Operating on existing UP and FW&W freight lines, Tex Rail will provide direct access to all activity centers in the corridor, and will connect with other transportation services, including the TRE, Amtrak, and The T’s downtown bus transfer center at the downtown Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) and T&P Station. Construction scheduled to begin in 2016.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on June 2, 2015 approved TEX Rail to move into the Engineering phase of its New-Starts process, the final step before construction can begin, and authorized The T to give a Notice To Proceed to Stadler Bussnang AG for the manufacture of 8 articulated DMUs (diesel multiple units). The T has contracted with Archer Western/Herzog Joint Venture for pre-construction services. The FTA reviewed and approved changes, amending the Record of Decision to the TEX Rail project, adding two stations in North Richland Hills (Iron Horse Station and the Smithfield Road Station) and a dedicated maintenance facility. The T has begun final design for the stations and is moving forward on land acquisition.
Fort Worth Transportation Authority President and CEO Paul Ballard called the operating agreement “the envy of the rest of the country” and thanked FW&W, DART, UP and Amtrak for their “unprecedented level of cooperation and the very real and positive benefits for customers and constituents. Ultimately, the citizens who have strongly supported the project through the public involvement process since day one are the real beneficiaries.”
