#411 Parlor Car
History
The crimson and red Parlor Car #411 made it to its permanent home in front of Burleson City Hall on Saturday, October 6, 2012.
In 1918 the North Texas Traction Company ordered 4 special first class cars to be trailers for 4 of their regular cars between Fort Worth and Dallas. At the last minute they decided to order a fifth car which was to become Car #411. These 2 car sets ran on a high speed commuter trip between Fort Worth and Dallas for many years as an extra cost, no stop express service at a rather high ticket price (for the day) of $1.80 each way.
When the service was withdrawn about 1933, an individual purchased 3 of the cars and arranged them as a summer residence at Lake Worth. The rail cars were well cared for. When the family decided to sell them more than 15 years ago the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the “T”), purchased the #25 and #411 to restore. When the T decided to give Car #411 to someone who would undertake the restoration and be able to properly display the car to the public, Burleson was selected as the successful bidder. On Jan. 19, 2012, the car was moved to Burleson where volunteers of the Burleson Heritage Foundation and the North Texas Historic Transportation group restored the car.
Present Day
The City now has 2 cars on display in Burleson. Rail Car #330 (built in 1903) is the oldest remaining interurban car of any type in Texas. It was placed beside the Burleson Visitors Center, the last remaining Interurban Station on the Fort Worth to Cleburne line, in 2010. Car #330 faithfully served the interurban station 3 times a day until the line closed. Parlor Car #411 is one of the last of the classic wooden cars of that same era. This unique set gives the City of Burleson the largest single collection of cars from the great Interurban Railroad that served 7 counties in North Texas for nearly 50 years.
The crimson and red Parlor Car #411 made it to its permanent home in front of Burleson City Hall on Saturday, October 6, 2012.
In 1918 the North Texas Traction Company ordered 4 special first class cars to be trailers for 4 of their regular cars between Fort Worth and Dallas. At the last minute they decided to order a fifth car which was to become Car #411. These 2 car sets ran on a high speed commuter trip between Fort Worth and Dallas for many years as an extra cost, no stop express service at a rather high ticket price (for the day) of $1.80 each way.
When the service was withdrawn about 1933, an individual purchased 3 of the cars and arranged them as a summer residence at Lake Worth. The rail cars were well cared for. When the family decided to sell them more than 15 years ago the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the “T”), purchased the #25 and #411 to restore. When the T decided to give Car #411 to someone who would undertake the restoration and be able to properly display the car to the public, Burleson was selected as the successful bidder. On Jan. 19, 2012, the car was moved to Burleson where volunteers of the Burleson Heritage Foundation and the North Texas Historic Transportation group restored the car.
Present Day
The City now has 2 cars on display in Burleson. Rail Car #330 (built in 1903) is the oldest remaining interurban car of any type in Texas. It was placed beside the Burleson Visitors Center, the last remaining Interurban Station on the Fort Worth to Cleburne line, in 2010. Car #330 faithfully served the interurban station 3 times a day until the line closed. Parlor Car #411 is one of the last of the classic wooden cars of that same era. This unique set gives the City of Burleson the largest single collection of cars from the great Interurban Railroad that served 7 counties in North Texas for nearly 50 years.