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    Home About News and Events News Releases News Release Detail

DART News Release

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Jul 19, 2021 | General
M-Line Trolley Celebrates 32 Years of Service to Dallas

Media Relations Contact:
Gordon Shattles, DART
Paula Cain, MATA

July 19, 2021

M-Line Trolley Celebrates 32 Years of Service to Dallas

On Thursday, July 22, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority (MATA) will celebrate 32 years of streetcar service to Dallas residents, businesses, and visitors.

M-Line passing Klyde Warren Park
M-Line's Matilda trolley car
M-Line's Rosie trolley car

In 1983, MATA was founded to return heritage streetcars to the urban fabric of Dallas. Two Dallas residents, Phil Cobb and Ed Landrum, began championing the idea after discovering tracks on McKinney Avenue that had been paved over and forgotten. On July 22, 1989, the McKinney Avenue Trolley celebrated the grand opening of its 2.8-mile route.

Photo by James Nelms
Cityplace/Uptown Station Turntable
High resolution JPG (photo by James Nelms, opens in a new window)

Photo by James Nelms
High resolution JPG (photo by James Nelms, opens in a new window)

The M-Line has expanded several times over the years, eventually reaching a total of 4.6 miles in length. The first expansion opened in 2002, extending the route north to connect to DART's Cityplace/Uptown Station, followed by the construction of a turntable in 2011. The second expansion opened in 2015, creating the southern loop in downtown Dallas that connects riders to DART's St. Paul Station.

Young boy onboard an M-Line trolley car Child onboard an M-Line trolley car

Currently served by seven vintage cars, the M-Line trolley provides more than 600,000 rides every year within Uptown and Downtown Dallas.

Ed Landrum and a trio of terrific trolleys - July 1990
MATA Facility

A selection of historical photos:
Looking north from Olive Street
Looking north from Olive Street

Looking west from McKinney and Maple-Routh Looking west from McKinney and Maple-Routh

From the past, trolley cars on Commerce Street
From the past, trolley cars on Commerce Street

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