List of former transit companies in Dallas facts for kids

Imagine a time before cars were everywhere! How did people get around in a big city like Dallas? For many years, private companies helped people travel using streetcars and other forms of public transport. This article tells the story of these companies in Dallas, from when the first one started in 1872 until the city took over in 1964.

Early Days of Dallas Transit

The very first private transit companies in Dallas started in the 1870s. In 1872, the Dallas City Railroad Company began offering rides. A few years later, in 1875, the Dallas Street Railroad Company also started. These early companies helped people move around the growing city.

Soon, more companies appeared. The Commerce and Ervay Street Railroad Company began in 1876. The Belt Street Railway started in 1884. These companies often served different parts of Dallas.

Companies Join Forces

As Dallas grew, many of these smaller transit companies began to join together. This is called a merger. When companies merge, they combine to form one larger company.

In 1884, the Dallas City Railroad Company and the Dallas Street Railroad Company merged. They became the Dallas City and Dallas Street Railroad Company. This was one of the first big mergers.

Later, in 1887, this new company merged with the Commerce and Ervay Street Railroad Company and the Belt Street Railway. They formed the Dallas Consolidated Street Railway Company. This made public transport more organized.

New Companies and Changes

The late 1880s and early 1900s saw even more changes. The Dallas and Oak Cliff Elevated Railway started in 1887. The Dallas Rapid Transit Company began in 1888. These companies brought new ways for people to travel.

Sometimes, new owners would take over a company. In 1890, new owners changed the Dallas Consolidated Street Railway Company. It became the Dallas Consolidated Traction Railway Company.

Other companies also started, like the North Dallas Circuit Railway in 1889 and the Queens City Railway Company in 1892.

Big Mergers and New Names

Around the turn of the century, more companies joined together or bought out others. In 1898, the Dallas City Railway Company was formed. It took over the Dallas Consolidated Traction Railway Company.

Later that same year, the Dallas City Railway Company joined with the Queens City Railway Company. They became the Dallas Consolidated and Electric Street Railway Company. This was a very important company for Dallas transit.

Other companies were also bought. The Rapid Transit Railway Company took over the Dallas Rapid Transit Company in 1899. The Northern Texas Traction Company acquired the Dallas and Oak Cliff Elevated Railway in 1900.

The Final Private Era

By 1917, many of these companies came together. The Dallas Consolidated and Electric Street Railway Company, the Rapid Transit Railway Company, and the Metropolitan Street Railway Company merged. They formed the Dallas Railway Company. This new company also leased lines in Oak Cliff from the Northern Texas Traction Company.

The Dallas Railway Company later changed its name in 1926. It became the Dallas Railway and Terminal Company. This company continued to serve Dallas for many years.

In 1956, the company changed its name one last time to the Dallas Transit Company. This was the final private company to run public transport in Dallas.

The City Takes Over

After 92 years of private companies, a big change happened in 1964. The city of Dallas decided to buy the Dallas Transit Company. This meant that public transport in Dallas would no longer be run by private businesses. Instead, the city itself would manage it. This marked the end of an era for private transit in Dallas.

See also

• Current and Former Railroad Companies Operating in Dallas, Texas