error YOUR VOICE MATTERS Pre-Public Hearing Meetings Schedule.  Learn more.
error Service Changes Effective June 9, 2025. More details here.
logo
  • logo
  • Trip
      Trip Planning
      • Plan Your Trip
      • Service Alerts
      • Service Change
      • Winter Weather
      • 41411 SMS Service
      • DART to Airports
  • Guide
      Transit and Use
      • Schedules and Maps
      • Transit Services
      • Bus Service
      • Rail System
      • Trinity Railway Express -TRE
      • GoLink
      • Paratransit Services
      • Dallas Streetcar
      • M-line Trolley
      • West Dallas Shuttle 
      • Park & Rides, Transit Centers & Transfer Locations
      • Vanpool
      Supporting Services
      • Accessibility
      • Mobility Ambassador Program
      • Bike to Work
      • Transit Education
      • Rider Assistance Program
      • Park and Rides
      Safety and Security
      • Passenger Guide to Safety and Security 
      • Get Help (Safe Place program)
  • Fares
      General Fares and Overview
      • Fares
      • GoPass Retail Locations
      • Citations and Policies
      • Discount GoPass® Tap Card
      • Reduced Fares
      • Group and Advance Sales Fares
      • Day Pass Voucher Application
      • DART Access
      • GoPass
  • About
      About DART
      • About DART
      • Board Members
      • CEO Engagement
      • Executive Staff 
      • DART Scorecard
      • DART Police
      • EEO & Cultural Engagement
      • Sustainability Program
      • DART Station Art
      • Fixed Route Schedule
      • Social Responsibility
      Public Access Information
      • Financial Transparency
      • Government Relations
      • Board Meetings
      • Community Meetings
      • Reports and Policy Information
      • The Public Information Act
      • Internal Audit
      • Legal Notices
      Plans, Projects, and Initiatives
      • Capital Projects
      • 2045 Transit System Plan
      • Mobility+ Program
      • Transit-Oriented Development 
      • Planning Studies and Reports
      News and Events
      • News Releases
      • Events
      Doing Business
      • Procurement
      • Transit Advertising
      • Vendor Management & Outreach
      • Property
      • Unsolicited Proposals
      • Photography & Filming
  • Careers
  • Help
  • Contact Us
  • language
    Home About News and Events News Releases News Release Detail

DART News Release

arrow_back_ios Back to News Releases
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

-- 30 --


Sign Up for Alerts Just for You!

The best way to stay up to date on service alerts and other DART-related news and information is to register for My DART Updates.

Subscribe

Contact Us Today!

1401 Pacific Avenue, Dallas, TX 75202

call  214-979-1111

Customer Service Information is available 7 days a week : 5 AM to 12 AM

Holidays: 8 AM to 5 PM

Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

 

  1. Careers
  2. Contact
  3. Privacy Policy
  4. Legal
  5. Powered by Google Translate Translate
Hidden Utility Section
Search widget for navbar
Skip to Main
© 2025 Dallas Area Rapid Transit
  • DARTable
  • DARTdaily
  • DART Transform
arrow_upward