Silver Line (DART)

History

Cotton Belt service along the line has been in planning since the original 1983 DART Service Plan. DART previously bought the right-of-way to the 52 mi Cotton Belt corridor train tracks in 1990 and freight trains had since ceased use of the tracks. The line was also included in DART's 2030 Transit System Plan. However, in 2010 DART scrapped much of their 2030 plan, citing deficits and drops in revenue. A proposal to use private funding to construct both the Dallas County and Tarrant County segments was considered, but this plan was abandoned after the Texas Legislature failed to enact legislation necessary to the plan during the 2013 state legislative session.

DART officials stated that without private funding options, the agency would not be able to build out the line until at least the mid-2030s. DART considered the possibility of using bus rapid transit as a less costly alternative for current funding.

DART announced in late August 2016 that the project could be fast tracked and completed by as early as 2022, after DART secured funds needed to complete the project.

In late August 2018, the DART board voted to accept a plan which eliminated two previously-proposed stations, reducing the number of planned stations to 10.

On February 12, 2019, the DART board approved construction of a second track along the entire length of the line, which is anticipated to reduce wait times between commuter trains, avert delays during construction and maintenance, and better accommodate freight trains using the line. This design change is projected to cost $109 million, raising the design-build contract to its maximum allowable price of $923 million.

Construction commenced in 2019 after DART secured a $908 million Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing federal loan from November 2018 to pay for most of the projected $1.1 billion cost. To cover the remainder of the line's cost, DART has asked some cities to pick up a share of the tab to help pay for the costs of stations in places where the line diverts from the freight track's path. Service was initially scheduled to begin by December 28, 2022.

On June 24, 2019, DART announced that the line would be named the Silver Line, bringing the service under the same general branding as the agency's light rail system.

By 2020 the opening had slipped to March 2023, with further delays to 2024 announced the following year.

In January 2023, further delays placed the anticipated service date in late 2025 to mid-2026. The line opened for service on October 25, 2025.

Operations

Service operates seven days a week. On weekdays, trains run from 4 am to 1 am, with 30-minute headways during peak periods (5–9 am and 3–7 pm) and hourly service during all other times. On weekends and major holidays, trains operate hourly in both directions between 5 am and 1 am.

The estimated one-way travel time from end to end is approximately is 55 minutes. These run times include station dwell times of 30 seconds at all stations except for Downtown Carrollton, Addison Transit Center, CityLine/Bush, and 12th Street, where dwell times are one minute. In comparison, estimated travel time from the DART Orange Line CityLine/Bush station to DFW Airport Terminal A station is approximately 1.5 hours as it requires travel through downtown Dallas.

Because the trains operate on freight rail tracks, each is staffed by both an engineer and a conductor, unlike light rail services, which have a single operator. To maintain operational flexibility with a small workforce, Silver Line onboard staff are cross-trained, certified, and qualified to perform both roles.

Freight

, four companies move freight along the corridor: the Fort Worth and Western Railroad; the Dallas, Garland and Northeastern Railroad; BNSF; and CPKC. The short line operations are limited to periods of non-peak passenger movements, but the Class I railroads are independently dispatched.

Route

The Silver Line runs approximately 26 mi between DFW International Airport to Plano.

Together, the line connects with the Trinity Metro TEXRail commuter rail line at DFW North station providing access to Downtown Fort Worth, Grapevine, and various other Tarrant County locales.

The line connects with DART's Orange, Green, and Red lines providing access to Dallas Love Field and Downtown Dallas via Downtown Carrollton or CityLine/Bush stations. Future connection opportunities exist with the Denton County Transportation Authority A-train commuter rail line. With the completion of the Downtown Carrollton station, the Silver Line will directly connect, providing access to various Denton County locales.

In total, the alignment traverses through three counties including Tarrant, Dallas, and Collin counties, and seven cities including Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, and Plano.

Stations

All stations will be designed for accessibility and are fully ADA compliant. There are 10 stations including:

Rolling stock

Eight Stadler FLIRT (Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train) diesel multiple unit (DMU) trainsets were ordered in June 2019 for use on the Silver Line. This makes DART the fourth transit agency in Texas to operate Stadler Rail DMUs, following the Denton County Transportation Authority's A-train, Capital MetroRail in Austin, and TEXRail. It is also the third system in the United States to use FLIRT DMUs, after TEXRail and the Arrow service in San Bernardino County, California.

The DART FLIRTs are low-floor diesel-electric multiple units designed to meet Federal Railroad Administration Alternative Vehicle Technology (AVT) standards and Buy America requirements. Each trainset includes four passenger coaches and a separate midsection car called a PowerPack which houses the four diesel motors and electric generators, reducing interior noise levels and allowing a larger low-floor area. The trains provide 222 seats with standing room for up to 263 passengers and are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The modular design also allows an additional passenger car to be added or for future conversion to bi-mode operation.

Plans for expansion

Another possibility for Silver Line expansion is northward. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) in a 2022 meeting discussed the possibility of rail expansion beyond the current northern terminus Parker Road Station from Plano through Allen to McKinney. Either the Red Line or the Silver Line could be extended north. The study proposed seven stations between the current Parker Road Station and the hypothetical northern terminus Downtown McKinney Station. The extension would be 18 mi long, cost between $700 million and $900 million to construct, and is estimated to have 7,000 to 8,000 riders a day by 2045.

References

References

1. "Cotton Belt Corridor". Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
2. "Appendix B: Operations and Maintenance Plan".
3. (April 2018). "Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement". Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
4. (August 15, 2018). "Dispute over two North Dallas stations delays DART vote on Cotton Belt". Dallas Morning News.
5. (July 28, 2018). "Here are 4 things DART's Cotton Belt stations will mean for Plano". Dallas Morning News.
6. Lindenberger, Michael. (April 28, 2010). "Money woes will force DART to cut jobs, rail plans". Dallas Morning News.
7. Dickson, Gordon. (May 29, 2013). "Cotton Belt funding bill dies in Legislature". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
8. (August 25, 2014). "DART to consider dedicated bus roads for long-languishing Cotton Belt rail corridor". The Dallas Morning News.
9. (August 25, 2016). "DART Looks To Fast-Track The Cotton Belt Line To 2022". CBS 11 News.
10. (August 29, 2018). "DART board deletes two North Dallas stations, sends $1.1 billion Cotton Belt on a path forward". The Dallas Morning News.
11. Pugh, Gavin. (February 12, 2019). "DART board of directors approve addition of second track along Cotton Belt line through North Texas suburbs". [[Community Impact Newspaper]].
12. (March 18, 2018). "DART's $1.1 billion Cotton Belt plan about to come into public view". Dallas Morning News.
13. (12 December 2018). "With federal funding around the corner, DART names partners, awards $872 million for Cotton Belt rail".
14. (June 24, 2019). "DART Renames Cotton Belt Commuter Service 'Silver Line'". DART.
15. (18 September 2020). "Progress Continues On Dallas Area Rapid Transit Silver Line In Collin County". CBS.
16. (19 October 2020). "Addison gets all aboard DART's new Silver Line with plans for $500 million project".
17. (2020-08-17). "Additional track arrives for DART’s Silver Line". [[EndeavorB2B.
18. (12 July 2021). "Why DART is pushing back the opening date for the Silver Line to DFW Airport".
19. "Silver Line Project".
20. (October 26, 2025). "DART rolls out Silver Line with free rides and rider praise". [[CBS News and Stations]].
21. (2025-10-25). "Rail Guide: Silver Line".
22. "Silver Line Launches Oct. 25, Connecting Seven Cities and DFW Airport".
23. (January 2011). "Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Scoping Summary Report". Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
24. "Denton County's A-Train is looking south with expansion plans - Texas Rail Advocates".
25. [https://www.metro-magazine.com/rail/news/734353/stadler-secures-contract-for-eight-flirt-for-texas Stadler secures contract to build 8 FLIRT trains for Texas] ''[[Metro Magazine. Metro]]''. June 3, 2019.
26. [https://www.metro-report.com/news/suburban-commuter/single-view/view/cotton-belt-railway-dmu-order-placed-1.html Cotton Belt railway DMU order placed] ''[[Metro Report International]]''. June 3, 2019.
27. (April 2020). "DART FLIRT Data Sheet". Stadler Rail.
28. Shelton, Kay. "DART 2040 Transit System Plan".
29. Pirayesh, Erick. (17 February 2022). "Regional Transportation Council looks to extend DART rail line from Plano to McKinney". [[Community Impact Newspaper]].