Plano and the Interurban Railway System

Over a century ago, an industrial America was awakening, and a new transportation technology arrived on the north Texas prairie: electric interurbans. Plano's Interurban Railway depot was dedicated in July 1908, and electric interurban rail travel began with the creation of the Texas Traction Company. In 1917, three separate systems were connected by a single entrepreneur, J. F. Strickland. Throughout the 1920s, the Texas Electric Railway traveled in and out of Plano carrying riders, mail, and freight. The system was built to travel on existing streetcar tracks and often ran over private rights-of-way between cities. To promote interurban travel, the company created unique cars and special classes of service to appeal to every need. In the post-World War II era, however, the popularity of automobiles ended the important era of electric interurban travel.

When the Texas Electric Railway shut down in 1948, the Plano station remained dormant until a movement began to save the building from demolition. A Texas Electric railcar was restored and installed on tracks beside the former depot, and a museum was created. The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc., in partnership with the City of Plano, manages this facility. Through programming and exhibits, as well as this new book, the Plano Conservancy shares the grace and beauty of electric interurban railway in North Texas.