[Steppes] OT riding the rails to DFW 2

[Ciard49@aol.com]

Thanks Mikael!  This is just what I was  trying to find out! 
 
In a message dated 12/16/2004 6:45:57 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
mikaelc at airmail.net writes:

Getting to DFW Airport from the Garland DART station;

Board  the train (Blue Line, I believe - it's the only one that goes to
Garland),  and ride it to Union Station. De-train, and board the Trinity
Express heading  for Ft. Worth. Take that train to the CentrePoint
station, and transfer there  to a shuttlebus which will take you to the
Airport  proper.

Time-consuming? Yes, it will take more time than if you drive  direct to
your terminal. 

Cost? A DART day-pass is $4.00 per person.  That is good for both DART
and Trinity Express trains. Lessee ... two people,  $8.00 total - I bet
you'd spend more than that just on gas to drive  there.
Yeah, plus parking fees at airport

Amenities on-board? The DART light-rail trains do not have any  restroom
facilities on-board, and I don't think the Trinity Express does  either.
There are restrooms open to the public at Union Station (which gives  one
an excuse to go inside and look at some wonderful, old  architecture).
 
Cool !

Both DART and Trinity Express trains are  equipped to handle wheelchair
passengers, as is the shuttle bus to the  airport. 

Sights to see? Depends on how much of a train buff you are.  From Garland
to the Mockingbird station, the DART rail line follows the route  of the
Katy's Texas Special passenger train. From Mockingbird Station  to
downtown, you ride in Dallas' first (and so far only) subway.  The
Trinity Express follows the route of the Burlington Zephyr out of  Dallas
towards Ft. Worth. 
 
Way cool!
 
There are sights to see along the way you cannot see from a car or  sidewalk. 
Most of all, though, you can sit back and relax and let someone else do  all 
the driving for you.
 
That's the part I'm looking forward  to the most.  
Ma will be very  excited, and I will be agitated if I have to drive.
I have a thing for  trains too, that must be from a childhood trip from 
Dallas to Ohio by rail. 
I was too young to  remember any of it, yet I long for it.
 
My dream vacation would  be the 5 national parks ride on the restored antique 
rail cars -  Yellowstone, Grand canyon, Tetons, Rockies, etc. that I saw on 
the Travel  channel.
 
Thanks  again!
 
Ciard

Mikael Colquhoun
(Who really, really likes  trains)



-----Original Message-----
From:  steppes-bounces+mikaelc=airmail.net at ansteorra.org
[mailto:steppes-bounces+mikaelc=airmail.net at ansteorra.org]  On Behalf Of
Ciard49 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 6:14  PM
To: steppes at ansteorra.org
Subject: [Steppes] OT riding the rails to DFW  2


I thank everyone who has written with advice on riding the  rails.

But no one has answered what I was asking about, -i.e. "Has  anyone
ridden the 
DART express rail to DFW  airport?"


I'm  not looking for alternative ways to get her  there (via shuttle)
I've  
driven to DFW many times before.

I thought we might enjoy the train  ride, but since  it will take a whole
lot 
longer to get there by  rail than by car, I wondered if  it was a good
idea. 

Are there  bathrooms and water on the train?   Are they fun to ride?   I
assume 
they are fully handicapped accessible -  i.e. with lifts or  no steps to
enter 
train.

Has anyone actually ridden the rail  express to  DFW?

Thanks

Ciard