A-train (Denton County)

The A-train is a 21-mile (34 km) commuter rail line in Denton County, Texas, United States. It is the third-busiest commuter rail line in Texas and twenty-eighth in the United States. It runs parallel to Interstate 35E between Denton and Carrollton and acts as an extension with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton. It is operated by First Transit under the authority of the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) and serves Denton County. It opened on June 20, 2011.[2]

A-train
A-train diesel multiple unit coaches at Downtown Denton
Overview
Type	Commuter rail
System	Denton County Transportation Authority
Locale	Denton County, Texas
Termini	Downtown Denton Transit Center Trinity Mills Station
Stations	6
Daily ridership	1,900[1]
Website	dcta.net
Operation
Opened	June 20, 2011
Owner	DCTA
Operator(s)	First Transit
Rolling stock	11 Stadler GTW 2/6
Technical
Line length	21 mi (33.80 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

DCTA A-train
Downtown Denton Transit Center Loop 288 MedPark Lewisville Lake Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Old Town Hebron North Carrollton/Frankford (DART) Pres. George Bush Turnpike Trinity Mills   Green Line to Buckner

History

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 (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.[3]

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,[4] though this date was later pushed back to mid-May.[5]

The A-train was opened on June 20, 2011 with celebrations at five train stations.[6]

First Transit signed an agreement with the DCTA on July 20, 2016, to operate the A-train from October 1, 2016.[7] The contract is for nine years with five additional option years.[7]

Motive power

The line uses Diesel-Electric Hybrid motive power.[8]

Future

The North Central Texas Council of Governments Mobility 2045 plan calls for the A-train to be extended south to interchange with the DART Silver Line.[9]

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

The A-train operates with 30 minute headways every weekday, with 34 trains round trip per day (and one additional late train each direction on Fridays). Saturday has reduced service with nine trains per direction and long headways. There is no service on Sundays and major holidays. Interchanges with the DART Green Line are irregularly timed.[10]

Ridership

Figures collected by the American Public Transportation Association show that 1,500 people rode the A-train on an average weekday in the third quarter of 2011.[11] As of the fourth quarter of 2015, average weekday ridership has increased to approximately 1,900 riders per day, making the A-Train the twenty-fifth most-ridden commuter rail system in the country.[1]

Stations

Station	Location	Municipality	Points of interest and notes
Downtown Denton Transit Center	604 E. Hickory Street	Denton	Connections: Connect Bus Service: Routes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and North Central Texas College shuttle
MedPark	3220 MedPark Drive		Points of interest: Denton Regional Medical Center Connections: Connect Bus Service: Routes 2, and North Central Texas College shuttle
Highland Village/Lewisville Lake	2998 N. Stemmons Freeway	Lewisville	Points of interest: Lewisville Lake recreational area Connections: Connect Bus Service: North Central Texas College shuttle
Old Town	617 E. Main Street		Connections: Connect Bus Service: Route 22
Hebron	952 Lakeside Circle		Connections: Connect Bus Service: Route 21
Trinity Mills	2525 Blanton Drive	Carrollton	Connections: DART Light Rail:      Green Line DART Buses: 534 - Addison Transit Center, 536 - Addison Transit Center

Rolling stock

DCTA placed an order for 11 Stadler GTW 2/6 DMUs in 2010. The first of the new trains were delivered in late 2011 for testing prior to their entry into service.[12] The full order was fulfilled by August 2012, and in September 2012 the new units replaced the Budd DMUs leased from TRE.[13]

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Inventory	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Stadler GTW 2/6		Diesel Multiple Unit	60	100	11	Denton-Carrollton	2010-2012

Past fleet

The A-Train began operations using 10 Budd RDCs leased from Trinity Railway Express, which were used until DCTA's own purpose-built fleet was delivered.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Inventory	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Budd Rail Diesel Car		Diesel Multiple Unit	75	120	10	Denton-Carrollton	1954–58

References

1. "Public Transportation Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2015" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association (APTA). March 2, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2016 – via http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Pages/ridershipreport.aspx.
2. Peterson, Matt (June 20, 2011). "A-train railway begins rolling, carrying commuters from Denton to Carrollton". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. "DCTA to begin testing signal, communications equipment on A-train corridor". Progressive Railroading. April 4, 2011. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
5. "Denton – Dallas A-Train services to start in June". Railway Gazette International. May 16, 2011. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
6. "Train stations celebrate opening of A-Train | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth". Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
7. https://www.firstgroupplc.com/news-and-media/latest-news/2016/20-07-16.aspx
8. "Denton's new A-train cars may help expand regional rail" (webpage). The Dallas Morning News. January 29, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2019 – via https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2012/01/30/dentons-new-a-train-cars-may-help-expand-regional-rail/.
9. "Mobility 2045: Maps" (PDF). Mobility 2045. North Central Texas Council of Governments. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
10. "A-train" (PDF). DCTA. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
11. "Public Transit Ridership Report, Third Quarter 2011" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 11, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
12. BJ Lewis (August 21, 2011). "New rail cars in testing phase". Denton Record-Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
13. 11 DMUs ordered from Stadler, July 27, 2010, archived from the original on May 10, 2010

External links

Template:Attached KML/A-train (Denton County Transportation Authority)

KML is from Wikidata

• A-Train, DCTA