Alex Wolford
@thetexanrhino.bsky.social
Writer Covering Transportation, Cities, and Sometimes Other Stuff
Work on Substack & Medium + @dmagazine.bsky.social
Dallas, TX | Columbia, MO
https://linktr.ee/TheTexanRhino
Work on Substack & Medium + @dmagazine.bsky.social
Dallas, TX | Columbia, MO
https://linktr.ee/TheTexanRhino
Pinned
Alex Wolford
@thetexanrhino.bsky.social
· Oct 27
They Have The People
No Kings and Peaceful Protest
substack.com
New story about the recent No Kings protests and peaceful demonstration in our current moment.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Irving, August 1996: In the run-up for a withdrawal election, anti-DART advocates show off the capabilities of transit vans from the company Comsis.
November 29, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Irving, August 1996: In the run-up for a withdrawal election, anti-DART advocates show off the capabilities of transit vans from the company Comsis.
The M-Line trolley rattles down McKinney Avenue on a rainy day in Downtown Dallas, May 2007. This particular car, named Petunia, is a Birney Safety Car that ran on Dallas's streetcar system from the 1920s until 1947.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
November 28, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The M-Line trolley rattles down McKinney Avenue on a rainy day in Downtown Dallas, May 2007. This particular car, named Petunia, is a Birney Safety Car that ran on Dallas's streetcar system from the 1920s until 1947.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
Reposted by Alex Wolford
thanksgiving is over which means it's time for scary brown extension cords with no ground wires
November 27, 2025 at 10:48 PM
thanksgiving is over which means it's time for scary brown extension cords with no ground wires
An eastbound Texas Eagle kicks up dust as it storms through the town of Grand Saline on the evening of September 12, 2015.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
November 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM
An eastbound Texas Eagle kicks up dust as it storms through the town of Grand Saline on the evening of September 12, 2015.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
From tonight at DFW Airport: Traffic on International Parkway on the left, the Silver Line at Terminal B Station on the right.
November 27, 2025 at 6:14 AM
From tonight at DFW Airport: Traffic on International Parkway on the left, the Silver Line at Terminal B Station on the right.
Reposted by Alex Wolford
Thirteen people were killed in a fire that spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, and others were still trapped, the city’s fire services said.
13 people killed in fire engulfing Hong Kong high-rise residential buildings, fire services say
Thirteen people were killed in a fire that spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Thirteen people were killed in a fire that spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, and others were still trapped, the city’s fire services said.
Just east of Amarillo, a C30-7 leads a Santa Fe manifest train as it hustles across the Panhandle. December 1986.
Photograph by John Leopard.
Photograph by John Leopard.
November 26, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Just east of Amarillo, a C30-7 leads a Santa Fe manifest train as it hustles across the Panhandle. December 1986.
Photograph by John Leopard.
Photograph by John Leopard.
Go read this. I can't say it reflects well on Dallas, but it is unmistakably our reflection.
The Dallasification of the American Dream, Part Two:
Paranoia merchants of the endless exurbs sit in gleaming new homes, fingering their weapons, aiming at enemies that exist in their minds.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/america-is...
Paranoia merchants of the endless exurbs sit in gleaming new homes, fingering their weapons, aiming at enemies that exist in their minds.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/america-is...
America Is Becoming Dallas
Part Two: Sprawling to Freedom
www.hamiltonnolan.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Go read this. I can't say it reflects well on Dallas, but it is unmistakably our reflection.
A Union Pacific manifest train rumbles into Union Station as the Dallas streetcar crosses overhead on the Houston Street Viaduct. Barely visible on the other side of the convention center, a DGNO train can be seen following close behind.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
November 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
A Union Pacific manifest train rumbles into Union Station as the Dallas streetcar crosses overhead on the Houston Street Viaduct. Barely visible on the other side of the convention center, a DGNO train can be seen following close behind.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
Photograph by Matt Shell.
Reposted by Alex Wolford
"there are no third spaces anymore" wrong. blast furnace
November 25, 2025 at 12:59 AM
"there are no third spaces anymore" wrong. blast furnace
A crewman snags new train orders as the Katy Flyer passes by Hunt depot, just south of Greenville, May 1962.
Photograph by John B. Charles.
Photograph by John B. Charles.
November 24, 2025 at 11:07 PM
A crewman snags new train orders as the Katy Flyer passes by Hunt depot, just south of Greenville, May 1962.
Photograph by John B. Charles.
Photograph by John B. Charles.
She took the midnight train goin’… to Plano, Texas?
November 24, 2025 at 12:29 AM
She took the midnight train goin’… to Plano, Texas?
The M/S John W. Johnson ferry prepares to dock at Galveston, having just arrived from Port Bolivar on the morning of July 9, 2017. This ferry line is one of two that TxDOT operates and one of three in Texas.
Photograph by Matt Harvey
Photograph by Matt Harvey
November 23, 2025 at 9:26 PM
The M/S John W. Johnson ferry prepares to dock at Galveston, having just arrived from Port Bolivar on the morning of July 9, 2017. This ferry line is one of two that TxDOT operates and one of three in Texas.
Photograph by Matt Harvey
Photograph by Matt Harvey
Finally back in Texas.
November 23, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Finally back in Texas.
One of these in a nationalized livery is the future of American railroading.
November 22, 2025 at 6:41 AM
One of these in a nationalized livery is the future of American railroading.
Dallas Union Terminal, on the morning of September 10, 1964. The Santa Fe's "Kansas Cityan" and the Katy's "Texas Special" are on the left and right, with the Twin Star Rocket running from Minneapolis to Houston in the middle.
Photograph by John B. Charles
Photograph by John B. Charles
November 21, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Dallas Union Terminal, on the morning of September 10, 1964. The Santa Fe's "Kansas Cityan" and the Katy's "Texas Special" are on the left and right, with the Twin Star Rocket running from Minneapolis to Houston in the middle.
Photograph by John B. Charles
Photograph by John B. Charles
Dudes rock
November 20, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Dudes rock
In January 1956, Dallas became the 5th city in America to offer an air taxi service. Seen here sitting on top of the Statler-Hilton Hotel, this "Helix Air Transports" aircraft was part of a service to shuttle guests between local airports and the hotel.
Photographer Unknown.
Photographer Unknown.
November 20, 2025 at 4:22 PM
In January 1956, Dallas became the 5th city in America to offer an air taxi service. Seen here sitting on top of the Statler-Hilton Hotel, this "Helix Air Transports" aircraft was part of a service to shuttle guests between local airports and the hotel.
Photographer Unknown.
Photographer Unknown.
It's true that "you can't justify a bridge by the number of people swimming across the river."
Unless you're Amtrak.
It's not a good rail service, but Americans keep buying tickets. Latent demand is so high, people have started swimming the river.
Good work from @kait.bsky.social
Unless you're Amtrak.
It's not a good rail service, but Americans keep buying tickets. Latent demand is so high, people have started swimming the river.
Good work from @kait.bsky.social
Airports are in chaos as the holiday travel season approaches—and the railroad is looking pretty good by comparison, Kaitlyn Tiffany writes. theatln.tc/rSbDzame
November 20, 2025 at 12:38 AM
It's true that "you can't justify a bridge by the number of people swimming across the river."
Unless you're Amtrak.
It's not a good rail service, but Americans keep buying tickets. Latent demand is so high, people have started swimming the river.
Good work from @kait.bsky.social
Unless you're Amtrak.
It's not a good rail service, but Americans keep buying tickets. Latent demand is so high, people have started swimming the river.
Good work from @kait.bsky.social
The El Paso Streetcar running along Stanton Street, having just passed the Stanton/Kerbey station. The PCC streetcars now used on this route were restored after being abandoned at the city's airport when streetcar service was terminated in 1974.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
November 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The El Paso Streetcar running along Stanton Street, having just passed the Stanton/Kerbey station. The PCC streetcars now used on this route were restored after being abandoned at the city's airport when streetcar service was terminated in 1974.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
Photograph by Blair Kooistra.
Good piece about the very weird place Dallas's streetcars are in.
In the fall of 2017, after MUCH discussion and debate, the Dallas City Council approved a route that would have connected the Oak Cliff/Bishop Arts and Uptown/downtown streetcar lines. The work was supposed to be completed by 2023. But here we go again. Again.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
Wilonsky: Yet again, an attempt to link the Oak Cliff and downtown Dallas streetcars
It’s been a few years since I last rode the streetcar from downtown Dallas to Bishop Arts – probably, oh, since The Dallas Morning News moved out of the Young...
www.dallasnews.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Good piece about the very weird place Dallas's streetcars are in.
Reposted by Alex Wolford
The suburban transit agencies trying to secede from Dallas's DART are basing their plans on unrealistic visions of "microtransit." Nearby Arlington, Texas already shows the limits of that. Good @dallasobserver.com piece. www.dallasobserver.com/news/dart-co...
What Will Replace DART if Cities End Their Contracts?
Two cities allowing voters to elect to leave DART in May have offered microtransit systems as an alternative. They're flawed.
www.dallasobserver.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:03 PM
The suburban transit agencies trying to secede from Dallas's DART are basing their plans on unrealistic visions of "microtransit." Nearby Arlington, Texas already shows the limits of that. Good @dallasobserver.com piece. www.dallasobserver.com/news/dart-co...
With Amtrak's FY25 ridership numbers out, we can see how the Texan routes have done this year:
Texas Eagle - 372,135 (+14.3% over FY24)
Sunset Limited - 91,493 (+18.9% over FY24)
Heartland Flyer - 80,876 (+0.6% over FY24)
Texas Eagle - 372,135 (+14.3% over FY24)
Sunset Limited - 91,493 (+18.9% over FY24)
Heartland Flyer - 80,876 (+0.6% over FY24)
November 18, 2025 at 5:32 PM
With Amtrak's FY25 ridership numbers out, we can see how the Texan routes have done this year:
Texas Eagle - 372,135 (+14.3% over FY24)
Sunset Limited - 91,493 (+18.9% over FY24)
Heartland Flyer - 80,876 (+0.6% over FY24)
Texas Eagle - 372,135 (+14.3% over FY24)
Sunset Limited - 91,493 (+18.9% over FY24)
Heartland Flyer - 80,876 (+0.6% over FY24)
Amtrak's Sunset Limited stares down a German ICE train in front of the Alamodome, summer 1993. The European trainset was toured around the country in the hopes of raising support for high-speed rail.
Photograph by Fred M. Springer.
Photograph by Fred M. Springer.
November 18, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Amtrak's Sunset Limited stares down a German ICE train in front of the Alamodome, summer 1993. The European trainset was toured around the country in the hopes of raising support for high-speed rail.
Photograph by Fred M. Springer.
Photograph by Fred M. Springer.