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A-train (Texas)
The A-train is a hybrid rail (light rail with some features similar to commuter rail) service in Denton County, Texas, United States. The service is operated by Rio Grande Pacific under the authority of the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).
The 21-mile (34 km) line runs parallel to Interstate 35E between Denton and Carrollton. It acts as an extension of the DART rail system's Green Line, which connects Carrollton to Dallas Love Field, Downtown Dallas, and Fair Park. The line opened on June 20, 2011.
In 2024, the line had a ridership of 273,000, or about 900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025. It is the fourth-busiest commuter rail line in Texas and the twenty-ninth busiest in the United States.
The right of way was established by the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad. Eight miles (13 km) of the disused line was purchased by the city of Denton in 1993, with a rail trail 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 (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. To ensure the line would open in time to connect with the under-construction DART Green Line, the A-Train was primarily funded by the Regional Transportation Council, who approved the funding 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[s] 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.
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A-train (Texas)
The A-train is a hybrid rail (light rail with some features similar to commuter rail) service in Denton County, Texas, United States. The service is operated by Rio Grande Pacific under the authority of the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).
The 21-mile (34 km) line runs parallel to Interstate 35E between Denton and Carrollton. It acts as an extension of the DART rail system's Green Line, which connects Carrollton to Dallas Love Field, Downtown Dallas, and Fair Park. The line opened on June 20, 2011.
In 2024, the line had a ridership of 273,000, or about 900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025. It is the fourth-busiest commuter rail line in Texas and the twenty-ninth busiest in the United States.
The right of way was established by the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad. Eight miles (13 km) of the disused line was purchased by the city of Denton in 1993, with a rail trail 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 (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. To ensure the line would open in time to connect with the under-construction DART Green Line, the A-Train was primarily funded by the Regional Transportation Council, who approved the funding 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[s] 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.