DCTA's A-Train

On the DCTA A-train, the journey isn’t just about getting from Denton to your destination—it’s about everything that happens in between. This photo essay captures the quiet moments, fleeting interactions, and daily rituals that unfold along one of North Texas’s lesser-known rail lines. It’s a transitional space—part waiting room, part moving capsule—where strangers briefly share a slice of time. Shot entirely in black and white, the series focuses on contrast: between stillness and motion, solitude and connection, the soft quiet of the morning commute and the dim hush of the final train at night.

A DCTA A-train prepares to depart the Denton station on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Denton, Texas. The commuter rail line connects Denton to Carrollton, serving as a vital link for students, workers, and people living across North Texas.
A DCTA A-train prepares to depart the Denton station on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Denton, Texas. The commuter rail line connects Denton to Carrollton, serving as a vital link for students, workers, and people living across North Texas.
Robert Kennedy sits in his wheelchair in front of a DCTA A-train. Kennedy, who is deaf and nonverbal, communicates by writing on pieces of paper. He carries all his belongings with him and currently lives at a homeless shelter in Denton. The train serves as a regular part of his routine throughout the week.
Robert Kennedy sits in his wheelchair in front of a DCTA A-train. Kennedy, who is deaf and nonverbal, communicates by writing on pieces of paper. He carries all his belongings with him and currently lives at a homeless shelter in Denton. The train serves as a regular part of his routine throughout the week.
Anthony Benvides prepares the train for departure. Benvides is a DCTA conductor who lives in Fort Worth. He was curious about his ancestry and traced it back to Indigenous tribes from Chihuahua, Mexico.
Anthony Benvides prepares the train for departure. Benvides is a DCTA conductor who lives in Fort Worth. He was curious about his ancestry and traced it back to Indigenous tribes from Chihuahua, Mexico.
Tay Wallace kisses his dog, Junior, while riding the train. “I’m currently between places and trying to get myself together,” Wallace said. “I ride the DCTA a lot... from Denton to Dallas to escape the heat or the weather, especially now that I have the dogs. The A-train is always quiet and air-conditioned—it’s peaceful.”
Tay Wallace kisses his dog, Junior, while riding the train. “I’m currently between places and trying to get myself together,” Wallace said. “I ride the DCTA a lot... from Denton to Dallas to escape the heat or the weather, especially now that I have the dogs. The A-train is always quiet and air-conditioned—it’s peaceful.”
Stoney and Lando ride the A-train after attending a court hearing in Denton, Texas. Stoney, who lives in New York City, said he had been charged with evading arrest and violating probation. “I just ran from the cops because I really didn’t want to go to jail that day... I still ended up going to jail that day, though,” he said. “You’ll find a lot of degenerates like us on these trains.”
Stoney and Lando ride the A-train after attending a court hearing in Denton, Texas. Stoney, who lives in New York City, said he had been charged with evading arrest and violating probation. “I just ran from the cops because I really didn’t want to go to jail that day... I still ended up going to jail that day, though,” he said. “You’ll find a lot of degenerates like us on these trains.”
Adan Sariano rides the DCTA A-train on Monday, April 15, 2025, in Denton, Texas. Sariano, an immigrant from Mexico, relies on the train and his bicycle to get around, as he does not own a car. “The train helps me visit my family when my bike isn’t enough,” Sariano said. On this day, he was traveling to Richardson to see relatives. (Quote translated from Spanish)
Adan Sariano rides the DCTA A-train on Monday, April 15, 2025, in Denton, Texas. Sariano, an immigrant from Mexico, relies on the train and his bicycle to get around, as he does not own a car. “The train helps me visit my family when my bike isn’t enough,” Sariano said. On this day, he was traveling to Richardson to see relatives. (Quote translated from Spanish)
Danial Shaw’s shoe shows a $9.99 price tag, a reminder of the thrift store where it was purchased, as he rides the DCTA A-train as a part of his journey to Ft. Worth. haw, who recently totaled his car, represents a group of riders who depend on public transit not by choice, but by necessity—many of them facing financial struggles and challenging circumstances.
Danial Shaw’s shoe shows a $9.99 price tag, a reminder of the thrift store where it was purchased, as he rides the DCTA A-train as a part of his journey to Ft. Worth. haw, who recently totaled his car, represents a group of riders who depend on public transit not by choice, but by necessity—many of them facing financial struggles and challenging circumstances.
Charlotte Tran, an accounting student at the University of North Texas, reads on her Kindle aboard the A-train on her way to class. As the train rushes forward, Tran is still, illustrating the delicate balance of movement and pause that defines the everyday rhythm of public transit.
Charlotte Tran, an accounting student at the University of North Texas, reads on her Kindle aboard the A-train on her way to class. As the train rushes forward, Tran is still, illustrating the delicate balance of movement and pause that defines the everyday rhythm of public transit.
The A-train sits at its final stop nearly empty of passengers. A lone arm and the top of a hat, peek from behind their seats as the train empties, capturing the quiet transition from the rush of the commute to the stillness of the end of the journey.
The A-train sits at its final stop nearly empty of passengers. A lone arm and the top of a hat, peek from behind their seats as the train empties, capturing the quiet transition from the rush of the commute to the stillness of the end of the journey.
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