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The Interurban & Railroads

INTERURBAN

The Texas Traction Company, better known as the Interurban, went into operation in July of 1908. It pretty much followed the route of the Houston & Texas Central railroad from Denison to Dallas. A rider could take the Interurban to Dallas and then connect with other routes to Denton, Ft. Worth, Cleburne, Waco, Corsicana, and Terrell. At the time it was the largest Interurban system in the country. It was discontinued on December 3, 1948.

In McKinney it entered on the west side of Pecan Grove Cemetery and veered west following Kentucky Street to the courthouse square. The station was just south of Louisiana Street. There was an Interurban garage north of the square just south of the old library and a power station north of town near the old Ashburn hospital/Job Corp facility.

RAILROADS

The first railroad came to Collin County in 1872. This was the Houston & Texas Central that came up from Houston and continued to the Red River. Richardson and Plano moved to the tracks. The town was Allen was created by the railroad as a watering station. The line went through McKinney. The towns of Melissa, Anna, and Van Alstyne were created by the railroad. Parts of the tracks are still in use. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit will use these tracks to Plano.  See  McKinney  for a newspaper article about the arrival of the first train to McKinney.

The next railroad was the East Line and Red River, also known as the Sherman, Shreveport, and Southern. It reached McKinney in 1886. It went from Jefferson to McKinney, through Farmersville and Lowry Crossing, and created the town of Princeton. It was discontinued in the 1941. The tracks east of Farmersville are still in use.    See Eastline for a history of the railroad.

The Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe came to Collin County in 1886-87. It entered the county at Wylie, going through Clear Lake and Copeville, exiting at Farmersville, and continuing on to Paris. It created the town of Sachse. The town of Nickelville moved to the tracks and changed its name to Wylie. It is still in use.

The St. Louis Southwestern, better known as the Cotton Belt, came through the county in 1886-87. The towns of Renner, Murphy, and Josephine were created by it. Nevada moved to the tracks. The railroad went through Renner, Plano, Murphy, Wylie, Lavon, Nevada and Josephine and on to Greenville. The tracks east of Wylie have been removed. The Kansas City Southern built a rail yard and shipping hub in Wylie along this line.

The St. Louis San Francisco & Texas, called the Frisco, came through Collin County in 1902, creating the towns of Prosper and Frisco. Celina moved to the tracks. It is still in use.

The Greenville Northwestern was part of the Greenville-Whitewright Northern Traction Company. It was supposed to go from Greenville to Gainesville. The section from Anna to Blue Ridge, going through Westminster, was all that was constructed. It opened in 1914 and was discontinued in 1920.

                                       Allen Station                      Texas Electric Railway Station

History Index
 
Recommended citation:
"THE INTERURBAN & RAILROADS IN COLLIN COUNTY." Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc.,  <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl> [Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].

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Last modified: March 27, 2004
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