Dallas' Lost Streetcar Systems Illustrated

DALLAS, TX -- An artist has provided Dallas a glimpse into what the city's patchwork of light-rail lines used to look like. The map was created by Jake Berman, of New York, as part of a series of illustrations showing the lost streetcar and subway systems around America. The project strives to provide residents some historical context, he told Patch.

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the Metroplex has a reputation for being one giant 50-mile-wide suburb, but it wasn't always like that, Berman said.

"In 1919 you could take light rail trains to Fort Worth, Corsicana and Waco, and the local streetcar network would get you anywhere you needed to go," he said. "But there's a catch: a lot of the streetcar companies were real estate developers first and transportation companies second. They'd make their real money by buying cheap farmland, building a train line to it, and selling houses near the line."

By the time the Great Depression hit, it made sense for the city to shut down the unprofitable routes and replace the trains with buses, Berman added. WWII gave the light-rail companies a new lease on life and helped them become profitable. But in the end, it was too little, too late as auto competition and government-funded interstate system put these companies out of business, he added.

Berman shared his map on Reddit this week where it was well received.

"It's sad that we did this to ourselves. Thanks for the hard work, it's pretty great," Reddit user Tenthrow commented.