In 1962 the Leonard Brothers department store in Fort Worth, Texas, began construction of a subway train to connect their downtown store to their parking lot to the northwest on the bank of the Trinity River. The subway opened to the public the following year with the first public ride on February 15, 1963. In October 1967 the Leonards Brothers Company was sold to the Tandy Corporation. Tandy sold the stores to Dillard's in 1974 but demolished the Fort Worth store to build their new headquarters and a shopping mall. This site, the Charles D. Tandy Center, continued to be served by the subway for its parking needs. In 1996 the mall became the Forth Worth Outlet Square in an attempt to revitalize downtown shopping. The Outlet Square was never a financial success and Tandy's interest in the project declined in the late 1990's. By the early 21st century the ice rink was closed and most of the stores had moved out, yet the subway continued to serve the remaining customers and the employees of the RadioShack Corporation.     In 2001 RadioShack purchased the Ripley Arnold public housing project adjacent to their parking lot from the city of Fort Worth and sold the Charles D. Tandy Center and the Technology Center to PNL companies. RadioShack is leasing the property until their new riverside campus headquarters is completed in 2004. The new campus will be located on part of the current parking lot and the housing project. The subway closed forever in 2002 so that construction could begin in the parking lot. A ceremonial last ride for members of the Leonards family and friends took place on August 29, 2002. The real last trip was at 7:30 PM on Friday, August 30, 2002.     The pictures below were taken on the last two days of operation. Click any image for a larger view. Pictures are in no particular order.

	"NEXT STOP ... The Future"
	Local media was on the scene Friday morning to cover the subway's closure
	The maroon train returns from the tunnel
	The tunnel
	The maroon train enters the tunnel. On double track sections trains occupy the left side track
	Maroon train just departed station four, next stop is the Tandy Center
	The green train
	The hill to the right of the tunnel portal was a great place for photos
	Station 3... the end of the line. Here the driver changes directions
	This spur goes to the shop
	A highly advanced signaling system
	This train is parked on the shop spur
	The exterior tracks of the shop. These trains haven't been used in quite some time
	A truck from a scrapped car
	Station 3
	The shop
	That red train on the shop spur
	Inside the shop. The two trains in the rear are being repaired
	The blue train on the auto traffic crossing
	Inside the shop again, minus the blue train
	Interior of a train being painted in a small adjacent portion of the shop
	A truck from a scrapped train
	Underside of the subway train. The electrical system is the same as when the cars were retired from Washington DC's trolly system in 1962
	This train has seen better days
	A slightly more flattering view
	The train in the paint shop. Will it ever be finished?
	More undercarriage pics. This one looks a little neater since this train was still in operation
	There seems to be some kind of platform for working on the electrical pickups
	Watch your step when going under the train
	Very tidy and clean
	The blue train being switched on the shop spur
	Three Chicago transit cars were purchased for spare parts. The other two were scrapped.
	The outside maintenance pit
	Maroon train departing station 3
	A train approaches station 1
	Station 1
	Blue train on the spur switch
	The exterior yard as seen from outside the fence
	More exterior yard pictures
	Four trains in the shop. I think that is all the main building can hold
	Do not cross when subway car is approaching
	Last day of service. Go find your free parking elsewhere, you lousy freeloader
	At one time it ran on weekends but they could no longer justify the expense due to the decline of the mall
	The controls. Note that several of the labeled controls do not actually exist
	The operator's throne. Looks pretty comfortable
	Speed is controlled by the foot petals
	A display documenting the subway's history
	The area around the tracks was neatly landscaped
	Inside the Tandy Center station. Lots of lightbulbs!
	Many families came to ride the subway on its final day of service
	The track closest to the tunnel was used to park unneeded trains during non-rush hours
	Immediately outside the subway station. Mall and tower to the left, Technology Center to the right, RadioShack employee cafeteria straight ahead
	The maroon train departs in the station
	The idle red train. Note the snazzy Fort Worth Outlet Square floormats
	Decorations were hung for the ceremonial last ride.
	The tunnel. To the right is a control booth but I never saw any people in it
	Tandy Center logo
	Lots and lots of lights. They create a dramatic effect when emerging from the tunnel
	Trains waited in the station almost five minutes during non-peak hours. No need to rush!
	Rubber trash cans provide shock absorption should the driver get too close to the platform
	Watch your step. The train's floor is slightly higher than the platform and a portable metal ramp is required for passengers with reduced mobility
	Shop spur switch stop sign
	End of line
	Station 3 with the parks along the Trinity River in the background

All images and text are Copyright 2002 Justin W. Smith. Photography by Justin W. Smith. If you wish to use them contact me for permission first. Larger resolution versions of these pictures are available upon request.