Texas Electric Railway historic collections in Plano / Dallas area, Texas
Rail preservation groupArchival collections and a historical marker; no single public museum
From 1908 to 1948 the Texas Electric Railway carried North Texans between Dallas, Denison, Corsicana and Waco, becoming the largest interurban in the South, and today its memory is kept in archive collections and on a historical marker.
- Interurban ran 1908 to 1948
- Largest interurban in the South
- Routes to Denison, Corsicana, Waco
- UT Arlington photo collection
- Dallas-Waco scrapbook 1912 to 1948
Texas Electric Railway historic collections at a glance
- Hours
- No public museum hours; archives set their own research hours
- Admission
- No museum admission; online images are free to view
- Best for
- Rail historians, researchers and interurban fans
- Best ages
- Ages 10 and up for the archives
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Texas Electric Railway historic collections? 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 Plano / Dallas area.
Rally Takes the Train
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The interurban that tied North Texas together
The Texas Electric Railway was an interurban, an electric passenger railroad linking towns, that began operating in 1908. Through mergers of several companies it grew into the largest interurban operator in the South, running three routes out of Dallas: north to Denison, southeast to Corsicana and south to Waco. A Texas historical marker gives the system's length as 226 miles and calls it the longest interurban between the Mississippi River and California, while other histories round it to about 200 miles. A principal power plant stood on the north side of McKinney. Service ended in 1948.
The railway's cars are gone from the line, but its record survives. The University of Texas at Arlington Special Collections holds a Texas Electric Railway Collection of 60 negatives, including images of cars 508, 509, 610 and 611 outside the Dallas terminal. A separate archival collection preserves a scrapbook titled "Texas Electric Railway Dallas-Waco Division, 1912-1948," assembled by Charles Dickenson, with photos from Waco, Denison, Dallas, McKinney, Waxahachie, Hillsboro, Corsicana and Sherman.
How to see the Texas Electric Railway today
There is no single public museum by this name. The best ways to explore the story are the UT Arlington Special Collections, which posts Texas Electric Railway images and a finding aid online, the Dallas-Waco Division scrapbook described in the Texas Archival Resources Online database, and the Texas Electric Railway historical marker. For a hands-on visit, pair your reading with the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano.
Don’t miss
- UT Arlington photo collectionSixty negatives, including cars 508, 509, 610 and 611 photographed outside the Dallas terminal.
- Dallas-Waco Division scrapbookCharles Dickenson's scrapbook covering 1912 to 1948, with scenes from eight North and Central Texas towns.
- Texas Electric Railway historical markerRecords the 226-mile system and the McKinney power plant.
Making an old electric railway real for kids
Archive photos are better for older children and teens than for toddlers. For younger kids, visit a museum nearby with real equipment, then look at the online photos of Texas Electric Railway cars together and spot the car numbers.
Plan your visit: tips for Texas Electric Railway historic collections
- Start with UT Arlington Special Collections' online images and finding aid.
- Contact an archive before visiting in person to request materials.
- Pair your reading with the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano for a family outing.
The archivists and collectors who kept the record
The Texas Electric Railway's memory lives on through archivists at UT Arlington Special Collections and other Texas repositories, and through collectors such as Charles Dickenson, who assembled the Dallas-Waco Division scrapbook. Supporting local archives, historical commissions and rail museums is the best way to help keep this history available.
Interurban and rail museums around Plano and Dallas
The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano is the closest place to explore interurban history in person. The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco is about 12 miles away, and the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority M-Line Trolley in Dallas, about 16 miles away, offers a ride on vintage streetcars. See every Texas train museum for more.
- Interurban Railway MuseumPlano, TX · same town
- Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum historic collectionDallas area, TX · about 4 mi
- Museum of the American RailroadFrisco, TX · about 12 mi
- McKinney Avenue Transit Authority / M-Line TrolleyDallas, TX · about 16 mi
- Grapevine Vintage RailroadGrapevine, TX · about 23 mi
- Grapevine Cotton Belt Railroad Historic DistrictGrapevine, TX · about 23 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Looking at old photos of Texas Electric Railway cars lined up at the Dallas terminal, I imagine a crowd waiting for a train to pull in. In our book, Rally's train dives into a dark tunnel, and then a big bright light and happy cheers greet everyone on the other side. My kids squeal every time we turn that page. You can find it in our list of train books for toddlers.
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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Work or volunteer at Texas Electric Railway historic collections?
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.
Texas Electric Railway history: 20 common questions
What was the Texas Electric Railway?
The Texas Electric Railway was an interurban, an electric passenger railroad connecting towns, based in Dallas. It began operating in 1908 and, through mergers of several companies, became the largest interurban railway operator in the South. It ran routes from Dallas to Denison, Corsicana and Waco until it closed in 1948.
Is there a Texas Electric Railway museum I can visit?
There is no single public museum dedicated only to the Texas Electric Railway. Its history is kept in archive collections, including UT Arlington Special Collections, and on a historical marker. The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano is the nearest museum focused on interurban history.
When did the Texas Electric Railway operate?
The Texas Electric Railway began operation in 1908 and closed in 1948. During those forty years it carried passengers between Dallas and towns to the north and south, and a scrapbook in one archive covers its Dallas-Waco Division from 1912 to 1948.
Where did the Texas Electric Railway run?
The railway operated three routes from Dallas: one north to Denison, one to Corsicana and one south to Waco. Archive photos also show places along the lines such as McKinney, Sherman, Waxahachie and Hillsboro. A principal power plant was built on the north side of McKinney.
How long was the Texas Electric Railway?
The Texas Electric Railway historical marker gives the system's length as 226 miles and calls it the longest interurban between the Mississippi River and California. Other histories describe it as about 200 miles of line, so figures vary slightly by source and by which years are counted.
Why did the Texas Electric Railway close?
Service ended in 1948, but the historical marker and archive descriptions do not explain the reasons in detail. For a fuller account, look at the UT Arlington finding aid, the historical marker text, or books and archives on Texas interurban history.
Where can I see photos of the Texas Electric Railway?
UT Arlington Special Collections and Archives shares Texas Electric Railway images online, including cars 508, 509, 610 and 611 outside the railway's Dallas terminal. Its Texas Electric Railway Collection contains 60 negatives, and a finding aid describes the materials.
What is in the UT Arlington Texas Electric Railway Collection?
The collection held by UT Arlington Special Collections consists of 60 negatives of the Texas Electric Railway. Highlights include photos of cars 508, 509, 610 and 611 at the Dallas terminal. Contact the library's Special Collections to ask about viewing originals or ordering copies.
What is the Texas Electric Railway scrapbook?
An archive collection described on Texas Archival Resources Online holds one scrapbook titled Texas Electric Railway Dallas-Waco Division, 1912-1948, assembled by Charles Dickenson, plus eight folders. It includes images from Waco, Denison, Dallas, McKinney, Waxahachie, Hillsboro, Corsicana and Sherman.
Is there a Texas Electric Railway historical marker?
Yes. A Texas historical marker tells the railway's story, describing its three routes from Dallas, its 226-mile length and the main power plant on the north side of McKinney. The Historical Marker Database lists the marker and its full text, which you can read before going to see it.
Are any Texas Electric Railway cars preserved?
It is not clear from public archive listings which Texas Electric Railway cars survive or where they are displayed. Ask the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano, which focuses on interurban history, about any equipment or artifacts from the railway in its care.
Can you ride the Texas Electric Railway today?
No. The Texas Electric Railway closed in 1948. For a ride on vintage electric streetcars in the area, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority M-Line Trolley in Dallas is about 16 miles from Plano and has its own page on this site.
Was the Texas Electric Railway the largest interurban in the South?
Yes. Archive descriptions say that through the merger of several companies it became the largest interurban railway operator in the South. Its historical marker adds that it was the longest interurban system between the Mississippi River and California.
What does interurban mean?
An interurban was an electric railway that carried passengers between towns and cities, usually with lighter cars and more frequent stops than steam railroads. The Texas Electric Railway was one, linking Dallas with Denison, Corsicana and Waco from 1908 to 1948.
How can researchers access Texas Electric Railway archives?
Start with UT Arlington Special Collections and Archives, which publishes a finding aid and digital images for its Texas Electric Railway Collection. The Dallas-Waco Division scrapbook is described on Texas Archival Resources Online. Contact each repository ahead of time to request materials.
Is the Texas Electric Railway collection good for kids?
The archives are best for older students working on history projects. Younger children will get more from a museum with real cars, such as the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano or the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, about 12 miles away.
Did the Texas Electric Railway go through McKinney?
Yes. McKinney was on the line, and the railway's historical marker says a principal power plant for the system was built on the north side of McKinney. The Dallas-Waco Division scrapbook also includes McKinney among the places pictured.
Did the Texas Electric Railway reach Denison?
Yes. One of the railway's three routes from Dallas ran north to Denison, with stops in towns such as McKinney and Sherman along the way. In Denison today, the restored Katy Depot downtown is a separate railroad landmark worth a visit.
How can I support Texas Electric Railway history?
Support the archives and museums that preserve it. Visit and donate to the Interurban Railway Museum in Plano, use and credit the UT Arlington Special Collections images, and share any family photos or memorabilia of the railway with a Texas archive.
What train museums are near Plano and Dallas?
The Interurban Railway Museum is in Plano, the Dallas Railway & Terminal Museum collection is about 4 miles away, and the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco is about 12 miles. The M-Line Trolley in Dallas is about 16 miles away, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad about 23 miles.
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