Abandoned Rails of

Fort Worth, Texas

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Brief History

In 1941, on the outset of the United States' direct involvement in World War II, a new plant was built on the west side of Fort Worth, Texas, officially named Air Force Plant #4. Its sole purpose was to build B-24 Liberators by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Company. The plant continues to manufacture airplanes to this day, and has seen many contractual owners since the war: Convair, General Dynamics, and now Lockheed Martin. It has also produced many planes in its history; after the B-24 during WWII, it also produced B-29s, B-36s, B-52s, F-111s, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s, the last three of which it currently produces.

Once Air Force Plant #4 was built, it didn't take long for the Air Force to build a base adjacent to the plant, Carswell Air Force Base. It has also undergone some changes, as it is no longer an Air Force Base, but a joint Naval Reserve base; thus it is called NAS JRB Fort Worth. A more detailed history of this installation can be found at the U.S. Navy website.

The Spur

During WWII, materials and prefabricated parts for the bombers needed to be shipped to the bomber plant; it was deciced to ship them in via railroad. Thus, the government contracted the Texas & Pacific Railroad to build a railroad spur from the T&P's mainline (about 5 miles to the south) to the plant. And so the "Bomber Spur" was born. Soon after, Carswell AFB needed jet fuel for their airplanes, so the T&P constructed a spur to Carswell that connected to the Bomber Spur that served the plant.

A Santa Fe freight rolls by the Bomber Spur.
Photo by Ken Fitzgerald.

Officially known as "Carswell AFB Industrial Lead", the Bomber Spur served both the "bomber plant" and Carswell. It handled bulk materials to the bomber plant (in various types of cars), and jet fuel to Carswell (mainly in tanker cars). After the war, the spur was used for many years with decreasing regularity. After some time, a pipeline was installed to transport jet fuel to the base, thus the tracks to the base were no longer need or used. The arrival of bulk materials to the plant by truck was a sign of the beginning of the end for the Bomber Spur, and the tracks lay dormant for a few years before finally being removed.

A General Electric 44-tonner, USAF 1241, was used for switching duties on the spur; it was excessed in 1995, and sold to Dallas Area Rapid Transit, where it was discovered that it could not be used on DART's lines due to tunnel clearances. The switcher is now preserved and on display at the San Angelo Railroad Museum in the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe "Zebra" paint scheme.

Charts

This small part of a Fort Worth map which shows the tracks of the spur within Carswell AFB.

Click here to open a window showing the track chart for the Bomber Spur, produced by the Union Pacific Engineering Department. A couple of things to note:

• The General Dynamic (GD) side of the spur is on the left side, the Carswell side of the spur is on the right
• While the track was constructed by the T&P railway, it is "owned by industry", which is to say that the government owned the tracks
• The only highway crossings indicated are "State Highway 377" (which is incorrect, since 377 is a "US" Highway) and Interstate 30; other highway crossings include Texas SH 183 (twice), and State Spurs 580 and 341
• "Kings Branch" and "Farmers Branch" are creeks or ravines; the bridges used to traverse "Kings Branch" are shown in the tour
• The end of UP ownership of the line occurs at MP 0.04 (or a little over 200 feet from the switch)
• Around "State Higway 377", there appears to be two tracks that branch off from the main for a short distance (indicated by the little markings on either side of the highway crossing). While I did not notice such track branches on my last visit, and while the track markings are too short to indicate a siding or branch of meaningful length, this will certainly warrant another trip to the spur and a closer investigation around US 377 on my part

The beginning of the Bomber Spur at MP 252.8 along the UP's Bair... — The beginning of the Bomber Spur at MP 252.8 along the UP's Baird Subdivision. The dwarf switch stand still remains among the weeds. UP's Centennial Yard lies just a mile to the east (or to the left in the picture).

A lone gondola stands on the short amount of usable track on the... — A lone gondola stands on the short amount of usable track on the spur, helping to mark its location in the overgrowth.

The Bomber Spur itself is the foremost track. If you look closel... — The Bomber Spur itself is the foremost track. If you look closely enough, you can tell that the its tracks are not as maintained as the mainline and the siding behind them.

The first road crossing for the Bomber Spur occurs at Vickery Bo... — The first road crossing for the Bomber Spur occurs at Vickery Boulevard, just after it splits from the Baird Sub. The crossing control box is clearly visible, with a milepost marking of 0.20.

After crossing Vickery Blvd, the tracks meander off into the woo... — After crossing Vickery Blvd, the tracks meander off into the woods, beginning its 5.72 mile journey.

Here we are looking to the south as the tracks cross Texas State... — Here we are looking to the south as the tracks cross Texas State Highway 183. An oddity about this crossing is that this stretch of SH 183 used to be Interstate Highway 820 (before IH 820 was relocated to the south). Thus, these railroad tracks actually crossed an Interstate Highway at grade.

Looking to the north across SH 183. Even today, traffic is prett... — Looking to the north across SH 183. Even today, traffic is pretty steady on this 6-lane highway. There must have been a lot of congestion anytime a train tied up the crossing.

The concrete pedestals used for the crossbucks gaurding the SH 1... — The concrete pedestals used for the crossbucks gaurding the SH 183 crossing. This is viewing the northern lanes.

After the brief contact with civilization and crossing SH 183, t... — After the brief contact with civilization and crossing SH 183, the Bomber Spur continues it journey through the woods. The right-of-way proper roams through a large neighborhood just beyond the photograph; trees separate the tracks from the houses and roads.

The Bomber Spur flies over US Highway 377. This picture was take... — The Bomber Spur flies over US Highway 377. This picture was taken looking southeast.

The tracks emerge from the woods and neighborhood at Texas State... — The tracks emerge from the woods and neighborhood at Texas State Spur 550 (just behind the photographer).

The right-of-way crosses SS 580. Its journey through quiet neigh... — The right-of-way crosses SS 580. Its journey through quiet neighborhoods has come to an end.

A lone crossbuck pedestal and some cracks in the concrete are th... — A lone crossbuck pedestal and some cracks in the concrete are the only evidence that a railroad once crossed here.

The bridge over Interstate Highway 30. By this time, the railroa... — The bridge over Interstate Highway 30. By this time, the railroad has crossed an urban road, a state highway, a state spur, a US Highway, and an Interstate. Not bad for a 5-mile railroad spur.

The ballast on the bridge still remains. It looks like there was... — The ballast on the bridge still remains. It looks like there was a slight curve to the tracks as it crossed over. This overhead viaduct is indicated in the track schematic at MP 2.70.

After crossing IH 30, the tracks then crossed the IH 30 frontage... — After crossing IH 30, the tracks then crossed the IH 30 frontage road. I imagine that the trains had to be short or quick enough so as to not back traffic up onto IH 30 proper. Just ahead of the bridge, the raised ROW is still visible; the embedded rails in the foreground also.

Turning around from the last shot, we can see where the tracks u... — Turning around from the last shot, we can see where the tracks used to go. The raised ground curves off to the right, and goes by the utility box in the background before traversing an old wooden bridge across Kings Branch creek. Ridgmar Mall is outside the picture to the right.

A railroad utility box still stands by itself by the old ROW. An... — A railroad utility box still stands by itself by the old ROW. Another one stands closer to Carswell JRB, as we'll see later.

A close-up of the lock shows who owns this abandoned equipment.

Looking back where we came from, the tracks approached the utili... — Looking back where we came from, the tracks approached the utility box on the left side such that the box faces the ROW. The wooden bridge mentioned earlier is behind the photographer. (The IH 30 overpass is just behind the tree in the background to the left.)

Same orientation as the last picture, but now the photographer h... — Same orientation as the last picture, but now the photographer has moved to the other side of the bridge across Kings Branch creek. The trees lend to the natural beauty of the scene; if it wasn't for the sounds of the traffic from the right and Ridgmar Mall to the left, this would have been a very serene setting.

A profile shot of the wooden bridge. Just imagine a tank train rumbling across it (without the mall in the background, of course). The track schematic shows this bridge to be at MP 2.98 and 59 feet long.

Just beyond the first bridging of Kings Branch creek is this imp... — Just beyond the first bridging of Kings Branch creek is this important point in the journey of the Bomber Spur, as this is where the Carswell spur (on the right) splits off from the GD spur (on the left). This picture was taken where the switch points would have been.

First, we'll follow the General Dynamics (GD) spur to the northw... — First, we'll follow the General Dynamics (GD) spur to the northwest. After the Carswell spur splits off, the GD spur crosses the second branch of Kings Branch creek.

A profile shot of the GD spur bridge over Kings Branch creek. The track schematic denotes this bridge at MP 3.17 and to be 59' long.

Going further down the spur and turning around, we have this sho... — Going further down the spur and turning around, we have this shot looking back over the Kings Branch creek bridge. In the background is an entrance to Ridgmar Mall which passes over the ROW. The tracks have been removed and paved over.

Turning around back to the northwest, we see where the spur cros... — Turning around back to the northwest, we see where the spur crossed SH 183 (for a second time). The tracks headed right through the middle of this intersection. This traffic light controls another entrance to Ridgmar Mall, which passes over the Carswell side of the spur (which we'll see later).

After crossing SH 183, the tracks follow the boundaries of Carsw... — After crossing SH 183, the tracks follow the boundaries of Carswell closely as it passes along the south and southwest side of the base. The tracks through here were not easily accessible. The tracks then turn northward and run between the base and SS 341 for a bit before they turn northwestward again and cross SS 341 as seen here. The base is in the background with the barbed-wire fence.

A closeup of the tracks as they cross the median between the mai... — A closeup of the tracks as they cross the median between the main lanes of SS 341.

Looking back over SS 341 as the tracks crossed both the main lan... — Looking back over SS 341 as the tracks crossed both the main lanes and the frontage road (in the foreground). You can see a slight curve to the right on the other side of the highway.

After crossing SS 341, the tracks crossed some more urban roads ... — After crossing SS 341, the tracks crossed some more urban roads before reaching its destination. This is looking back across Wyatt Drive. The former grade crossing is evident.

This photo is looking northwestward from White Settlement Road. ... — This photo is looking northwestward from White Settlement Road. The former grade crossing here was not as evident as the other grade crossings have been.

Here the tracks (still in place, you'll notice) cross Harwell St... — Here the tracks (still in place, you'll notice) cross Harwell Street. After this, the tracks cross Clifford Street before entering the Lockheed Martin plant. I refrained from taking pictures in the direction of the plant or of the entrance of the tracks to the plant due to heightened security regarding such practices. Once inside the complex, the tracks split and criss-cross numerous times as they lead to and serve their respective warehouses and other areas of the complex. The layout of the tracks within the plant is still visible both on Google Maps and the track schematic. This ends the tour of the GD spur. Let's continue on to the Carswell spur.

Shortly after splitting fom the main part of the spur, the Carsw... — Shortly after splitting fom the main part of the spur, the Carswell spur crosses its own wooden bridge over Kings Branch creek. The ROW curves off to the northeast (to the right) after the bridge.

A profile view of the Carswell spur bridge over Kings Branch creek. The track schematic shows this bridge to be at MP 3.17, same as the bridge on the GD spur, and slightly longer at 72 feet.

After crossing the bridge, the tracks crossed a second entrance ... — After crossing the bridge, the tracks crossed a second entrance to Ridgmar Mall, where this picture was taken looking back over the bridge.

Turning around, we see the where the grade crossing was for the ... — Turning around, we see the where the grade crossing was for the second entrance, and that the ROW continues to the northeast, following SH 183 on its left.

Here is the crossing with Ridgmar Meadow Road. SH 183 is on the ... — Here is the crossing with Ridgmar Meadow Road. SH 183 is on the right.

Looking up the spur from Ridgmar Meadow Road. The wide open corr... — Looking up the spur from Ridgmar Meadow Road. The wide open corridor between the highway and the retail/restaurant parking indicates that a railroad once ran through here.

Another railroad utility box; this one is located just outside t... — Another railroad utility box; this one is located just outside the entrance to Carswell. The right-of-way between here and just outside the last picture at Ridgmar Meadow Road has been all but obliterated. The ROW is not visible once it enters Carswell, but a layout of the tracks within is afforded by Google Maps and the track chart.

Again, I did not want to raise concern in the friendly gate gaur... — Again, I did not want to raise concern in the friendly gate gaurds at Carswell as to why I was taking pictures around the base, so I refrained from such. From here, the tracks continue onto Carswell grounds. This closeup shot of the utility box ends our tour of the Bomber Spur.

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