Texas Electric Railway - Plano, TX - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The Plano Conservancy calls these "Wayside Signs", and this one stands in front of the electric railway car described in the text, which reads:

... Every Hour Every Day

Rail transportation was a key component to the development and growth of the North Texas region. Beginning in 1872 with the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, people could access the Texas frontier, goods could be shipped to the newly settled territory, and local crops could be shipped for distribution to other parts of the country. Later the electric interurban railway provided passenger service between rural communities that could not be met by existing steam railroad service.

The Texas Electric Railway Company was formed in 1917 by John Strickland as a result of mergers and acquisitions of various lines beginning as early as 1901. The Texas Electric Railway operated three routes from Dallas: one to Denison, one to Corsicana, and one to Waco. With a length of 226 miles, the Texas Electric Railway was the longest interurban system between the Mississippi River and California.

A principal power plant for the system was built on the north side of McKinney. Vickery, Plano, Van Alstyne and Sherman served as locations for additional substations where alternating current (AC) was converted to direct current (DC) to power the trolley line. Plano's interurban substation is the only remaining example on the entire line. Electricity, the wonder of the age, propelled the cars at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. An overhead electric wire system carried the power. A Western Electric dispatching system was installed along the line. Stationary telephones, allowing for easy communication, were placed at the main power plan, at each station and substation and in small wooden booths near strategically located sidings. Sidings enabled one car to pass the other along a single track line.

The impact of interurban travel dramatically altered rural life, ending the isolation of distant communities. Mail, salesmen, and products were brought to the area via the interurban car, and rural residents were provided the means to travel to the big city. As the automobile became more accessible to the general population, passenger totals began to decline, presenting a serious economic factor to the ongoing viability of the company. To offset the loss of passenger revenue, the company managers began to concentrate on freight traffic. While the Texas Electric Railway was able to compete successfully for a time for both interstate and freight traffic, revenues did not meet expenses. After World War II, passenger numbers continued to decrease with the end of gasoline rationing, the development of road systems nationwide, and the feeling of prosperity spreading across the country.

You are facing Texas Electric Railway Car 360, manufactured in 1911 by the American Car Company of St. Louis and originally numbered Car 11. The car measures 56 feet 10 inches long by 9 feet wide by 12 feet 9 inches high. Car 11 weighed 85,180 pounds, accommodated 62 passengers and was outfitted with 4GE73 Motors and 27MCB3X Brill trucks. In 1913, Car 11 was renumbered to 360. In 1932, the car was modified to a rail postal office car under specifications provided by the United State Post Office and is the last remaining example of a Texas Electric R.P.O. This car remained in service until the system ceased operation on December 31, 1948.

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Inset photos show:

A map of the interurban lines of North Texas, reaching Denison, Terrell, Corsicana, Waco, Cleburne, Fort Worth, Denton, and parts in between.

The Interurban Bridge in Waco.

A conductor's round trip ticket for the Texas Electric Railway.

Car 360, which stands in front of you. Above is a photo that may or may not be this car, with another showing the conductor at work.

A postcard of the back of the Interurban building in Dallas.

Group that erected the marker: Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 901 E 15th St Plano, TX USA 75074

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