hybrid rail
Hybrid rail, also known as diesel light rail transit (DLRT), is a mode of Passenger train, passenger rail service unique to North America that uses lightweight Multiple unit, multiple unit trains—typically Diesel multiple unit, diesel multiple u ...
(
light rail
Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...
with some features similar to
commuter rail
Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
) service in
Denton County, Texas
Denton County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 906,422, making it the seventh-most populous county in Texas. The county seat is Denton, Texas, Denton. The county, which ...
, United States. The service is operated by Rio Grande Pacific under the authority of the
Denton County Transportation Authority
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas. It operates transit service in three cities within Denton County, as well as the A-train, a regional commuter rail line to Carroll ...
DART light rail
The DART light rail system serves the metropolitan area of Dallas, Texas. It is owned and operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). The system opened June 14, 1996 and serves 65 stations and four lines, covering : the , the , the , and th ...
's , which connects Carrollton to
Dallas Love Field
Dallas Love Field is a city-owned public airport in the neighborhood of Love Field, Dallas, Love Field, northwest of downtown Dallas, Texas., effective April 17, 2025. It was Dallas' main airport until 1974 when Dallas Fort Worth Internation ...
,
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally ...
, and
Fair Park
Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of Downtown Dallas, downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the building ...
. The line opened on June 20, 2011.
In , the line had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . It is the fourth-busiest commuter rail line in
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was a Class I railroad company in the United States, with its last headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Established in 1865 under the name Union Pacific Railroad (UP), Southern Branch, it came to serve an exten ...
. of the disused line was purchased by the city of Denton in 1993, with a
rail trail
A rail trail or railway walk is a shared-use path on a Right of way#Rail right of way, railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed but may also share the rail corr ...
opening in 2001.
A formal Alternatives Analysis study conducted in 2004–2005, which included extensive community and citizen involvement, identified the proposed rail line as the best and most cost-effective mobility solution for Denton County and the region. It cited the impacts of projected population growth, growing safety, traffic congestion and air quality concerns, as well as the need to improve access to Denton County's vital health care facilities and three major college and university campuses.
In May 2005, the DCTA Board of Directors approved the study's recommendation to construct the rail alignment on east side of I-35E using an existing railroad corridor. The DCTA worked closely with the
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administration ...
(FTA) to meet the Federal and local regulatory requirements. In March 2008, the DCTA Board of Directors approved the Final Environmental Impact Determination that detailed the proposed measures to mitigate the environmental impacts of the rail project and the Regional Transportation Council approved funding of in August 2008. Federal funds were not used in the construction of the rail link.
The A-train name, station names, and station locations were publicly revealed in September 2008. DCTA's then-director of transportation services, Dee Leggett, stated that the A-train name "represent Denton's position as the apex of the Dallas/Fort Worth region."
On April 4, 2011, the DCTA began tests of railcars, communications systems and signals on track between Carrollton and Lewisville Lake, with tests on the remainder of the route projected to begin later in the month, though this date was later pushed back to mid-May.
The A-train was opened on June 20, 2011, with celebrations at five train stations.
Operators
On July 20, 2016,
First Transit
First Transit was an American transportation company. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, it operated over 300 locations, carrying more than 350 million passengers annually throughout the United States in 41 states, Puerto Rico, Panama, India an ...
(the American subsidiary of British transportation operator
FirstGroup
FirstGroup plc is a British multi-national transport group, based in Aberdeen, Scotland. First had already been the operator for DCTA's bus service since 2007. The contract would last nine years with a five-year extension option. Local rail operator Rio Grande Pacific was also contracted to provide signaling, dispatching, and track maintenance.
On November 3, 2020, Rio Grande Pacific assumed the operations of the A-train for the remainder of the contract and partnered with Stadler US for the maintenance of rolling stock.
Future
The
North Central Texas Council of Governments
The North Central Texas Council of Governments or NCTCOG is a voluntary association of governments in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
As of 2023 its ranks currently include 16 counties, 169 cities, towns, and villages, 19 school districts, and ...
Mobility 2045 plan calls for the A-train to be extended south to interchange with the DART Silver Line. , DCTA is in discussions with DART to extend the A-train to Downtown Carrollton as part of an agreement in which DCTA would host a DART Silver Line maintenance center at the existing A-Train Operations and
Maintenance Facility, including track upgrades and a new A-train station at Downtown Carrollton.
Operation
Fares
Fares are fully integrated with the rest of the DCTA system, with single rides costing $1.50. Two free transit zones exist on the system: between Downtown Denton Transit Center and MedPark, as well as Hebron Station to Trinity Mills.
Services
Since September 7, 2021, the A-train operates with a 30 minute headway during rush hours and interpeak every weekday, while on Saturdays the service runs every 60 minutes. There is no service on Sundays and major holidays. Interchanges with the DART Green Line are irregularly timed.
Stations
All stations have a
park and ride
A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...
DCTA
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas. It operates transit service in three cities within Denton County, as well as the A-train (Denton County), A-train, a regional Commut ...
placed an order for 11 StadlerGTW 2/6 DMUs in 2010. The first of the new trains were delivered in late 2011 for testing prior to their entry into service. The full order was fulfilled by August 2012, and in September 2012 the new units replaced the Budd DMUs leased from TRE. The line uses diesel-electric hybrid motive power.
The A-Train began operations using 10 Budd RDC-1s leased from
Trinity Railway Express
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 auth ...
, which were used until DCTA's own purpose-built fleet was delivered.