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I lived in Dallas from 1976 until 2007, except for a nearly five year break, when I lived in Melbourne, Victoria.  Having grown up in Altoona, Pennsylvania, I have been a railway fan for more years than I can remember.  Altoona was the heavy works of the Pennsylvania Railroad.  One of the best spots to watch freight traffic, as well as the comings and goings of the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), is the TRE platform at the old T&P station in Fort Worth.  It is the western terminus of the TRE.  You will be able to see numerous container, merchandise, and coal trains on the Union Pacific, as well as BNSF trains running past Tower 55.  Be sure to go inside the station for a look around.  It has been restored and is beautiful.  It is an excellent example of a first class mid-western railway station.Also, while you are in Fort Worth, pop over to the Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) around 1345.  If they are running on time, you will be able to see the Heartland Flyer, as well as the northbound and southbound Texas Eagle.  The Flyer is due in from Oklahoma City at 1239.  The southbound Eagle is due in at 1355; the northbound Eagle is due at 1358.  The trains hold in the station for more than half an hour for servicing.  You can walk down the platform to have a look at them.  No one is likely to bother you unless there is a high security alert, which does not happen very often.Also, while you are in Fort Worth, you should take in the stock yards.  They provide an interesting insight into what was for many decades Fort Worth's main economic engine.  And if you are lucky, you might get to see the Grapevine Vintage Railroad's steam engine arrive from Grapevine.  It was out of service, but they may have it back on the road by April.  You can get to the stockyards from the ITC.  Just ask the folks in the information booth, which is located inside the ITC, for the number of the bus to the stockyards.    If you have time, you should take the TRE to Dallas.  You can catch it from the T&P station or the ITC.  It is 51.2 kilometers from Fort Worth.  The trip takes about one hour and five minutes.  The normal day pass fare is $4.50 USD, but if you are a senior citizen (65+) you can get a day pass for $1.50.  Just be sure to have some age identification on you.  In Dallas you can visit Dallas Union Station, which is an excellent example of a near turn of the century union station.  It was opened in 1913 if I remember correctly.  There are some excellent railway pictures in the under ground passageway between the station and the Hyatt hotel.  Also, assuming you are not pressed for time, you could take a ride on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail system.  You can make an across the platform transfer in Dallas for the light rail train.  Take a Red Line or Blue Line train as far as Mockingbird Station, at least, and having a look at the shops around the station.  It is also a good place to grab a bite to eat.Dallas Union Station sits on the mainline of the Union Pacific between LAX and points to the northeast.  If you hang around for awhile, you are likely to see a good number of eastbound and westbound freights.  In addition, you could see some BNSF trains coming off the old Frisco Line, as well as a Garland & Northern train or two.  Dallas Union Station is also a short walk from the West End, where there are plenty of pubs if you are so inclined.  There are also a lot of good restaurants in the West End.  They range in price from modest to very expensive.  If you like pasta and don't want to spend a large amount of money for a meal, The Spaghetti Warehouse is a good bet.  Whilst living in Melbourne I passed through Flinders Street Station practically every day.  My home was in Toorak.  Frequently, I would take the tram to South Yarra, where I would catch the train to Flinders Street, and walk to my place of work at the corner of Elizabeth and Burke streets.  I rode every tram line and commuter rail line into and out of Melbourne.  Also, I have ridden the Overland from Adelaide to Melbourne and vice versa (3); the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth; the Countrylink from Melbourne to Sydney and return (5), as well as the QR's Tilt Train, Outback Express, and Queenslander.  I loved Australia; it was in many respects the best placed that I ever lived.  Cheers, and have a nice trip to Fort Worth
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