Cincinnati
Modern streetcar opened September 7, 2016. May rate a visit in future, although it may be difficult if the Amtrak Cardinal remains thrice-weekly.
Cleveland
Completed GCRTA heavy & light rail system at Cleveland Fest 2001. Might be willing to return in future as group was very small and we have many new faces.
Dallas and Fort Worth and Denton
DART LRT Blue and Red lines completed at the time at Eagle RailFest 2005. Since then, Green Line has opened, and Orange Line was completed as of August 2014. Blue Line has also been extended from downtown Garland to downtown Rowlett. A new addition on its southern end extended it from Ledbetter to University of North Texas in August 2016. We completed all DART lines at MTRF 2017.
DCTA A-Train commuter rail has opened since our 2005 visit, and it is accessible by the DART Green Line. Group rode this in its entirety at MTRF 2017.
TEXRail commuter rail went into service 1/10/19 between the two Fort Worth downtown stations and DFW International Airport. Extension is planned to the southwest from there. We can return and ride this whenever we are able to.
DART is working on a rail line between DFW International Airport and Plano, connecting at the former with TEXRail and DART Orange Line. While its working name was the Cotton Belt Line, DART has now designated it as the Silver Line. It is expected to be in service by the end of 2022.
McKinney Avenue Transit Authority (M-Line) streetcar in Dallas was completed at Eagle RailFest 2005. An extension on its downtown end opened in May 2015. And the modern Dallas Streetcar is now open between Union Station and Bishop Arts District. We rode the entire line in July 2017 for MTRF.
Triinity Railway Express commuter rail was completed at Eagle RailFest 2005.
Las Colinas Area Personal Transit System was ridden by our group at MTRF 2017.
Denver
Regional Transit District (RTD) has an extensive light rail system. We rode everything that existed at the time during our Rockies RailFest (RRF) event in July of 2014, and returned in September of 2019 to ride more. Several extensions are still planned, such as the L Line to 39th & Blake hooking up with the A Line, and an extension of the Southwest (C & D) Lines to Highlands Ranch. We can return someday to ride these when completed.
RTD's University of Colorado A Airport commuter rail line opened on 4/22/16. The first phase of the B commuter rail line to Westminster opened on 7/25/16, and the G commuter rail line to Wheat Ridge was delayed but finally went into service 4/26/19. We rode all three of them on our Denver RailFest (DRF ) in September, 2019. The N Line to Thornton started in 2020, so that will make a return visit worthwhile.
Denver Trolley has limited hours on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in the summer. We got to ride it during our RRF 2014 event.
Edmonton
Edmonton Transit System light rail awaits, but city is hard to get to with only thrice-weekly VIA Rail service.
El Paso
El Paso Streetcar went into service 11/9/18. We should visit this city to ride it.
El Paso is served by the thrice-weekly combined Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle.
Houston
MTA of Harris County's north-south Red Line is complete as of late 2013. The Purple Line and part of the Green Line opened on May 23, 2015. The rest of the Green Line opened January 9, 2017. Blue and Gold Lines are too far in future, and would most likely not be done until a subsequent second visit. Commuter rail being discussed but not on the horizon yet. We aced the existing system on our Louisiana-Texas RailFest 2018 visit in July 2018.
Houston has thrice-weekly Amtrak service on the Sunset Limited.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville Transportation Authority Skyway people mover runs weekdays only on 2 downtown routes. Was worked into Atlantic Coast RailFest 2013.
Kansas City
Modern streetcar went into service May 6, 2016. Group rode it during Missouri-Texas RailFest 2017 event in July 2017. Extensions to the north and south are planned, with the southerly one now under construction.
Little Rock
Rock Region Metro Streetcar runs on 2 routes in a system very similar to Tampa's. Little Rock would rate a 24-hour stopover on the Texas Eagle on the way to or from one of the Texas events.
Little Rock's Amtrak station is not served by these streetcars, so taxi, shared ride, or hotel shuttle would be required between there and downtown.
Los Angeles area
Metrolink commuter rail: All lines were completed at the time of our Southern California RailFest 2009, except for the 91 Line movement in the Fullerton area (which we did cover aboard the Southwest Chief) and the segment of the Ventura County Line beyond Moorpark to East Ventura (the latter is only possible in peak directions, so one must stay overnight in the area, but it is along the Coast Starlight/Pacific Surfliner route). The 91 Line, now known as 91-Perris Valley Line, was extended to Perris South as of 6/6/16, however its initial schedule is not conducive to an out and back trip we would be able to do on a RailFest. Perhaps if its schedule is expanded it may be possible in the future. The San Bernardino Line was extended 1 mile to a new station in downtown San Bernardino, leaving us some unridden trackage there. Redlands Arrow opened 10/24/22 San Bernardino to Redlands. All of this will rate a re-visit once it's all done.
Los Angeles County MTA light rail lines were completed at the time of our Southern California RailFest 2009. However since that visit, the Gold Line was extended beyond Union Station to East Los Angeles, and the Expo Line was opened over its first phase to Culver City. First phase of Gold Line Foothill Extension to Azusa opened March 5, 2016, though further extensions to Montclair and Ontario are planned. Final phase of Metro Expo Line opened on May 20, 2016. Crenshaw Line 1st segment opened October 7, 2022. We rode the entire Gold Line, including the East L.A. and Foothill extensions, as well as the entire Expo Line, during Pacific Coast RailFest 2016. Now with letter designations and routes restructured following the Regional Connector debut 6/16/23, we will need to return to the L.A. area to ride through the Regional Connector (A) (E) and the Crenshaw (K) Line.
Angels Flight funicular was closed during our 2009 visit, it began functioning again in 2010, but it closed again in September of 2013 due to electrical problems. It reopened again in August 2017 and should be awaiting our next visit.
San Pedro Red Car was completed during our 2009 event, however it has been closed down.
Memphis
Memphis Area Transit Authority trolleys were covered during our Southeast RailFest 2011 event. The Madison Avenue Line innermost segment was closed due to a building demolition while we were there. That same line will be converted to light rail and extended to the Memphis Airport in the future, so once that opens we would return and ride the whole line. Entire system was shutdown in 2014 & remains closed following 2 trolleys catching fire. Then Main Street line reopened in 2018.
Miami area
Miami Dade Transit Metromover people mover was completed in its entirety during Florida RailFest 2008. Only difference is that some of the station names have changed.
Miami Dade Transit Metrorail heavy rail was completed in its entirety at the time of Florida RailFest 2008. It is now known as the Green Line. A new branch known as the first phase of the Orange Line opened to Miami Central station in Summer of 2012. This small segment probably does not rate a return visit, but someday the Orange Line may be extended further to the north and southwest.
MIA Mover people mover runs between Miami Airport and Miami Central Station. The latter is now served by Metrorail Orange Line and TriRail, and will eventually have Amtrak as well.
TriRail system was completed between Mangonia Park and Miami Airport at Florida RailFest 2008.
Brightline currently runs between Miami and West Palm Beach, and on 9/1/23 it will be extended to Orlando.
Edited by KevinKorell, 19 June 2023 - 03:14 PM.
Updated for Los Angeles and Miami (Brightline)