Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection, Texas
Rail preservation groupNo public museum building or hours found; see related history at the places listed below
The Dallas Railway & Terminal historic collection is part of the record of how Dallas moved before the automobile: a city of trolleys and interurban lines, with a terminal railway company chartered in 1894 to tie its steam railroads together.
- Dallas trolley and interurban history
- Terminal railway chartered in 1894
- City archives hold trolley records
- No regular public museum hours
Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection at a glance
- Hours
- No public hours found for the collection
- Admission
- Not applicable; see related museums for prices
- Best for
- Researchers and Dallas rail history fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Dallas.
Rally Takes the Train
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When Dallas rode the rails to work
Before personal cars took over, electric railways gave Dallas frequent passenger service that the steam railroads could not match. A City of Dallas archives collection documenting the city's early trolley and interurban lines notes that about 70 percent of the electric railway mileage in all of Texas was in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, a sign of how central these lines were to daily life.
Alongside the streetcars, the Dallas Terminal Railway and Union Depot Company was chartered in 1894 to serve the city's railroads, and according to the Texas State Historical Association it existed in some form until a 1994 merger with the St. Louis Southwestern Railway. The Dallas Railway & Terminal collection itself has no public museum building or posted regular hours, so the best way to explore this history today is through the archives and the operating trolleys and museums nearby.
Where to see this history
The City of Dallas archives hold a collection on the early trolley and interurban lines. For something kids can ride or climb on, the M-Line Trolley still runs vintage streetcars in Dallas, the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano tells the electric railway story, and the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco grew from an exhibit at the 1963 State Fair of Texas that included the Dallas Union Terminal 0-6-0 No. 7.
Don’t miss
- City of Dallas trolley and interurban archivesArchive collection 1991-034 documents early trolley and interurban railway lines in Dallas.
- Dallas Union Terminal 0-6-0 No. 7One of the first pieces displayed in the 1963 State Fair exhibit that grew into the Museum of the American Railroad.
Bringing old Dallas trolleys to life for kids
There is no hands-on museum space listed for this collection, so for children the history works best as a ride. Vintage streetcars on the M-Line in Dallas and the interurban car displays in Plano let kids see the kind of electric cars that once crossed the city.
Plan your visit: tips for Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection
- Researchers can look for City of Dallas archives collection 1991-034 on early trolley and interurban lines.
- For a family outing, ride the M-Line Trolley or visit the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano.
- The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco posts daily hours and ticket prices.
Who keeps the record
No group publicly lists itself as managing the Dallas Railway & Terminal collection. The City of Dallas archives preserve records of the trolley and interurban era, and nearby museums and the M-Line keep the same history visible for the public. Supporting those places by visiting, riding or donating helps keep Dallas's rail story alive.
See Dallas rail history in person
Start with the McKinney Avenue M-Line Trolley, where vintage streetcars still run in Dallas. In Plano, the Interurban Railway Museum tells the electric railway story, and the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco grew out of the State Fair's Age of Steam exhibit. See every train museum in Texas for more.
- Interurban Railway MuseumPlano, TX · about 4 mi
- Texas Electric Railway historic collectionPlano / Dallas area, TX · about 4 mi
- Museum of the American RailroadFrisco, TX · about 11 mi
- McKinney Avenue Transit Authority / M-Line TrolleyDallas, TX · about 14 mi
- Grapevine Vintage RailroadGrapevine, TX · about 19 mi
- Grapevine Cotton Belt Railroad Historic DistrictGrapevine, TX · about 19 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
I love picturing a Dallas trolley full of people, every one of them watching the city slide past the glass. Windows are Rally's favorite part of any train. In our book he looks out an arched window at the ocean and says hello to a white bird. My kids always want the window seat too. If yours do, the window page is one of our free coloring pages.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Texas
- Halloween train rides in Texas
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Dallas Railway & Terminal collection: 20 questions
What is the Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collection?
It is a historic collection connected to Dallas's streetcar, interurban and terminal railway past. It has no public museum building or posted regular hours, so treat it as a history topic you can explore through archives and nearby rail museums.
Is there a Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum open to the public?
No public museum location, hours or admission are posted for a Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum. To see related history in person, visit the M-Line Trolley in Dallas, the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano or the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco.
Where can I see old Dallas trolleys today?
The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority's M-Line Trolley runs vintage streetcars in Dallas, which is the most direct way to ride a car like the ones that once served the city. The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano also covers the electric railway era in North Texas.
What were Dallas's interurban railways?
Interurbans were electric railways that provided frequent passenger service between cities, filling a need the steam railroads could not meet before personal cars became common. A City of Dallas archives collection documents the early trolley and interurban lines that served Dallas.
How much of Texas's electric railway mileage was in Dallas and Fort Worth?
According to the City of Dallas archives description of its trolley and interurban collection, about 70 percent of the electric railway mileage in the entire state of Texas was in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. That made North Texas the center of the state's electric rail network.
What was the Dallas Terminal Railway?
The Dallas Terminal Railway and Union Depot Company was chartered in 1894, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Its history runs a full century, ending with a merger with the St. Louis Southwestern Railway in 1994. The TSHA Handbook of Texas has an entry on it.
Where are Dallas trolley records kept?
The City of Dallas archives hold a collection, numbered 1991-034, that documents early trolley and interurban railway lines in Dallas. Contact the City Secretary's archives office to ask how researchers can view it, since access details are not posted online.
What is the Dallas Union Terminal No. 7?
Dallas Union Terminal 0-6-0 No. 7 is a steam locomotive that was one of the first display pieces in the Age of Steam exhibit at the 1963 State Fair of Texas. That exhibit later grew into the Museum of the American Railroad, now in Frisco.
What happened to the Age of Steam museum at Fair Park?
The Age of Steam collection began as an exhibit at the 1963 State Fair of Texas, themed Our American Heritage. By 2010 the collection had outgrown its Fair Park site, and in 2011 construction began at its new home in Frisco, where it operates as the Museum of the American Railroad.
Is there a Dallas Railroad Museum at Fair Park today?
The railroad collection that started at Fair Park moved to Frisco and is now the Museum of the American Railroad. Some websites still describe a Dallas Railroad Museum at Fair Park, so check the Museum of the American Railroad's own site for current details.
Where is the Museum of the American Railroad?
As of October 2026, the Museum of the American Railroad lists daily operations at its TrainTopia exhibit inside the Frisco Discovery Center, 8004 N. Dallas Pkwy, Suite 400, Frisco, Texas 75034. Its phone number is (214) 428-0101. Walking tours are offered as a combo ticket.
How much are tickets at the Museum of the American Railroad?
As of October 2026, the museum lists TrainTopia admission at $12 for adults and $6 for children, and a walking tour plus TrainTopia combo at $18 for adults and $12 for children. Children under 3 are free. Check historictrains.org before you go.
Can kids ride a trolley in Dallas?
Yes. The M-Line Trolley in Dallas runs vintage streetcars and is the easiest way for kids to experience the kind of electric car that once filled Dallas streets. See the M-Line's own page for its route, schedule and any fare details.
Is this collection good for a family day out?
On its own, no, since there is no public museum space or hours listed. Families get more from a trolley ride on the M-Line, the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano, or TrainTopia at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, which all have regular public hours.
Can I donate Dallas trolley or railway items?
No curator or donation process is posted for the Dallas Railway & Terminal collection. If you have photos, tickets or artifacts from Dallas streetcars or the terminal railway, contact the City of Dallas archives or a nearby rail museum to ask whether they collect such items.
Why did Dallas's electric railways decline?
The City of Dallas archives describe electric railways as filling the need for frequent passenger service until personal automobiles became the preferred way to travel. As more people drove, the trolley and interurban lines lost riders, and the archive collection records that earlier era.
When did the Dallas Terminal Railway end?
The Texas State Historical Association traces the Dallas Terminal Railway and Union Depot Company from its 1894 charter to its 1994 merger with the St. Louis Southwestern Railway. That makes it a century-long piece of Dallas rail history.
Are there Christmas train events connected to this collection?
No holiday events are listed for the Dallas Railway & Terminal collection. For seasonal train fun in North Texas, check the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and the Museum of the American Railroad, which post their own event calendars.
Is there a contact for the Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum?
No phone, email or website is posted for a Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum. For research questions, the City of Dallas archives is the clearest public contact, and nearby museums can answer questions about the trolley and interurban era.
What train museums are near Dallas?
The M-Line Trolley runs in Dallas, the Interurban Railway Museum is in Plano, and the Museum of the American Railroad is in Frisco. Further afield, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad runs vintage train rides in Grapevine, and the Fort Worth Stockyards Trinity River train leaves from Fort Worth.
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