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Don's Rail Photos
Leonard's M&O Subway
Tandy Center Subway
Leonard's was the major department store in downtown Fort Worth and had a large parking lot in an area north-west of the store. In order to provide transportation from the lot to the store, in 1963, they built a light rail line before anyone knew what a light rail line was. They purchased a large number of PCCs from DC Transit when that company went all bus. 9 cars were converted for use as double end shuttle cars to operate on trackage thru the lot and into a tunnel which ended in the basement of the store. In order to save on expenses, the tunnel was drilled into the rock at a height which would allow the use of surplus quonset huts for lining. This required a lower trolley wire, and the pickup was designed for the height. It consisted of 2 poles on a mount which was hinged so that only one pole was up at a time. The operator pulled a rope inside the car which changed the pole position at the end of the line. The pole was guided into a trough on the wire. Doors were made floor level to match up with the platforms. The seats were replaced with longitudinal upholstered benches. An additional door was added at the former rear end. An additional operator station was added to the rear end. The cars were finished in stainless steel with blue trim. Car numbers were painted on the top of the tow bar socket on the end of the car. From the very beginning, no fare was charged.
Later, additional cars were purchased from the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. These were slightly longer. Only 1 was ever rebuilt. The remaining DC cars and the MBTA cars were scrapped for parts. Later, 3 Chicago Transit Authority cars were also purchased for parts.
In the 1970s, the department store was torn down and replaced by the twin towers of the corporate headquarters of the Tandy Corporation. The tunnel was extended a short distance and a new three track terminal replaced the single track stub. The cars were rebuilt with newly fabricated bodies on the old frames. They kept the same configuration, but now looked like more modern LRV cars. They were painted in different colors, and these colors change from time to time. Numbers were added to the front window in a corner.
In 2001, Tandy Corp decided to build a new office complex which would wipe out the parking area where the trolleys ran. And thus the line came to an end on August 12, 2002.
1 was built by St Louis Car as Capital Transit 1560. It was originally rebuilt in January 1963 and later was retired.
2nd 1 was built by St Louis Car in 1945 as Capital Transit 1535 and was originally rebuilt 3 in January 1963. It was later rebuilt in 1976 and was renumbered 3 in 1983.
3rd 1 was built by Pullman-Standard in 1945, #W6710B as Boston Elevated Ry 3166. It became Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947 and Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority in 1964. It was sold to Tandy Center and rebuilt as Tandy Center in 1983 as 1. It was acquired by North Texas Historic Transportation in 2003.
2 was built by St Louis Car in 1945 as Capital Transit 1551. It was originally rebuilt in January 1963 and later rebuilt in 1976. It waa sold as McKinney Avenue Transit Authority 143 in 2003.
3 was built by Pullman in 1945 as BER 3166. It became MTA in 1947 and MBTA in 1964. Several cars were purchased and 3166 was rebuilt as TC 10 in 1978. It was renumbered 1 in 1983 and then as 3.
4 was built by St. Louis in 1945 as Capital Transit 1506. It was originally rebuilt in January 1963 and was later rebuilt in 1976. It is now owned by the North Texas Historic Transportation Inc.
5 was built by St. Louis in 1945 as Capital Transit 1541. It was originally rebuilt in January 1963 and was later rebuilt in 1976.
6 was built by St. Louis in 1945 as Capital Transit 1540, #1647. It was rebuilt in 1964 and then rebuilt in 1976. It was brought to National Capital Trolley Museum in 1987
7 was built by St. Louis in 1939 as Capital Transit 1205. It was rebuilt in 1976 as 9 and renumbered 7 in 1983.
8 was built by St Louis in 1939 as Capital Transit 1200. It was rebuilt in 1976 as 8.
There are views of remaining parts of the line 7 years of abandonment.
The shop and yard still there even though the cars are gone and the wires are gone. One of the stations and the tracks remain.
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Memorial of Saint Ðaminh Mau, martyred in Vietnam in 1858
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