Train railly good choice for traveling through metroplex
by Bernie Scheffler, ne news editor

    Fort Worth commuters battling increasing traffic and rising gasoline prices have a new transportation option to consider.

   The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) opened two new stations in downtown Fort Worth in December.

   The TRE, a joint venture of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), now runs between Fort Worth and downtown Dallas, making the trip in just over one hour.

   Downtown Fort Worth stops include the Intermodal Transpor-tation Center (ITC), with bus routes connecting the station to other parts of Fort Worth, and the historic Texas and Pacific railroad station.

   Three other stops on the railway are also in Tarrant County, including the Richland Hills station, the Hurst/Bell station and the Centreport/DFW Airport station.

   Tickets start at $1 for a single ride and $2 for a day pass. If a rider’s trip crosses the fare-zone boundary (the county line between Centreport/DFW Airport and West Irving stations), prices are $2 for a single ride and $4 for a day pass.

   Monthly passes also are available for $30 (valid in one zone only) or $60 (valid in both zones).

   The operation of the TRE is contracted to and run by Herzog Transportation Systems, a railroad company based in Irving.

   Commuters have flocked to the train to save wear and tear on their vehicles, save money on fuel and relieve traffic-related stress.

   "I love riding the train. It’s cheaper than my weekly gas bills, just as fast, and I can get work done on the train since I don’t have to concentrate on driving,” James Finley, a Fort Worth resident who works in Dallas, said.

   All Tarrant County rail stations have parking available, except the Fort Worth ITC.

   Many commuters ride bicycles to and from the stations, taking advantage of the TRE’s bicycle-friendly policy. Riders may take bicycles aboard and are not required to have a special ticket or permit.

   “Since we started going to Fort Worth, more people have been riding every day,” one Herzog employee said.

   “Not everybody’s commuting to work, though. During spring break the trains were full of people just going to visit the stockyards or the cultural district,” she said.

   The TRE usually runs Monday through Saturday. Sometimes, however, Sunday service is available for special events, such as the Fort Worth Stock Show or Main Street Arts Festival.

   A special stop is also included at Dallas’ American Airlines Center during concerts and games.

   Much of Tarrant County, however, still lacks public transportation services.

   “I wish there was a bus or light rail line to go from my house to the train so I didn’t have to drive so much,” Ian Watson, Arlington resident and NE Campus student, said. “The train is such a convenient way to get around.”

   Cameron Schoepp, University of Dallas professor and Fort Worth resident, welcomes the TRE, but feels it isn’t enough.

   “This city is way behind on public transportation. I grew up in Chicago, and there the whole county, every little city and suburb, is connected with rail and bus lines,” he said. “Nobody drove. The traffic was too bad.”

   Traffic, however, is not the only reason the TRE is good for Dallas/Fort Worth, Schoepp said.

   “I think we’ve got to do something about our air quality soon,” he said.

   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies Tarrant, Dallas, Denton and Collin counties collectively as “serious” areas of ozone non-attainment. The area was downgraded to “serious” from “moderate” in 1998.

   The TRE and other mass transit systems are advocated by the North Texas Council of Governments (NTCOG) and the Texas Natural Resource Conser-vation Commission (TNRCC) as methods of reducing ozone problems.

   According to the NTCOG, about 56 percent of the problematic ozone is formed by vehicle emissions.

   “I guess Texans just love their cars too much,” Schoepp said.