Search found 2753 matches

by mulad
March 30th, 2021, 9:54 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northstar Commuter Rail
Replies: 952
Views: 222105

Re: Northstar Commuter Rail

Keep in mind that Northstar's high subsidy per rider is partly because people are traveling such long distances. Looks like the average ride was almost 25 miles in 2019, versus only about 4 miles for trips on Metro Transit's overall bus and light rail network (that's per individual hop, not counting...
by mulad
March 30th, 2021, 8:50 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northstar Commuter Rail
Replies: 952
Views: 222105

Re: Northstar Commuter Rail

I really have to say that whatever people think of Northstar, that should translate almost exactly to the way we think about commuter buses in the region, which have also seen a massive hit to ridership. Lots of those routes also have this bonkers service pattern of having nearly all trips going int...
by mulad
March 29th, 2021, 7:35 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northstar Commuter Rail
Replies: 952
Views: 222105

Re: Northstar Commuter Rail

One idea I'd like to see pursued is the possibility of running the train somewhat slower so it can fit between freight trains more easily rather than needing to overtake them, which would ideally make BNSF more amenable to letting it run more often or over longer distances. And ideally, it would be ...
by mulad
March 27th, 2021, 9:38 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow
Replies: 316
Views: 357081

Re: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow

Yeah, there are at least two in the city already, in Dinkytown and Stadium Village
by mulad
March 22nd, 2021, 7:08 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Freight Rail News and Happenings
Replies: 247
Views: 121387

Re: Freight Rail News and Happenings

"USMCA railroad" doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "NAFTA highway."
by mulad
March 17th, 2021, 3:15 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

Oh fun, we have our own filibuster-y rule, huh? I was not aware of that. I hope this could pick up votes from several outstate senators who live along the various routes that would be able to go into full study/planning if there's enough money left over for that.
by mulad
March 17th, 2021, 7:29 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northern Lights Express
Replies: 510
Views: 497667

Re: Northern Lights Express

I'll give this thread a bump since it looks like there are bills lined up in both the MN House and Senate that will provide $160 million in overall bonding money for intercity rail projects in MN. SF1962 is authored by the Republican Senate President, Jeremy Miller of Winona (a city which would bene...
by mulad
March 16th, 2021, 8:39 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

Well, I saw a news article saying that MN Senate President Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) had introduced a bill to cover this (SF1962, with HF1639), so I looked it up. It's actually for $160 million and allows the money to be spent on multiple routes beyond the second train, including Northern Lights Expr...
by mulad
March 16th, 2021, 10:22 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

There is a section of 110-mph track on the Lincoln Service between Chicago and St. Louis, but I think it's still not much more than the initial 15 miles they inaugurated between Pontiac and Dwight, IL a long time ago. They're pretty low on excuses now, though it kind of sounds like the remaining han...
by mulad
March 14th, 2021, 6:56 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

Yeah, I'm pretty confident that most of the route has the 79 mph limit. Trains don't necessarily slow down simply because they're passing through towns, but there are often switch points for sidings or yards located in towns that cause reductions in speed in/near them, along with curves and bridges ...
by mulad
March 14th, 2021, 5:43 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

The time savings from these particular upgrades are pretty minimal, since I've already been on Empire Builder trips that have taken 7.5 hours, but of course every little bit helps. I often think it's a mistake to compare the train to air travel, since the default is traveling by car anyway. It's a p...
by mulad
March 13th, 2021, 12:14 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Lunds & Noko(mis) Apartments - Cedar & Minnehaha Pkwy
Replies: 52
Views: 22558

Re: Bergan's Redevelopment - Cedar & Minnehaha Parkway

The Noko Apartments and Lunds & Byerly's development is nearing completion, with signs up saying the grocery will be open this spring. It's been tough to get motivated to take any pictures of this one since I usually go by on weekend mornings when the sun is behind it, and you have to be on the ...
by mulad
March 12th, 2021, 12:04 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

Amtrak announced yesterday that the Empire Builder will be one of the first four long-distance routes to restart service on May 24th, then there will be 4 more each week on May 31st and June 7th. https://twitter.com/samjmintz/status/1369765607353286661 I watched the Red Wing town hall meeting for TC...
by mulad
March 12th, 2021, 8:22 am
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Southside - News & General Topics
Replies: 1102
Views: 394076

Re: Southside - News & General Topics

There was some activity at the former Hudson's Hardware (2900 E 42nd St) when I went past yesterday. The owners of the Angry Catfish Bicycle + Coffee Bar made a purchase agreement in December, and plan to move the bike sales and repair business into it, while keeping their current site for the café....
by mulad
March 10th, 2021, 11:31 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)
Replies: 2909
Views: 701903

Re: Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

Possibly. I don't know how much the designs have needed to change to work with American regulations. I worry that some of this is due to the weight of the battery packs leading to other issues -- the rail vehicle crash regulations in the US caused equipment to be redesigned to be heavier, which woul...
by mulad
March 10th, 2021, 9:57 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)
Replies: 2909
Views: 701903

Re: Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

I do really wonder how Chinese cities manage to operate their big electric bus fleets without everything collapsing, considering the trouble BYD buses have had here. They claim to be able to have extremely high utilization, as seen in this video from Fully Charged a while ago. But a really important...
by mulad
March 10th, 2021, 9:35 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391385

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and Intercity Rail to Chicago

The recently-passed $1.9 trillion COVID relief package includes some extra funding to Amtrak, and requires they restore full service to routes, including the Empire Builder, within 90 days (early June). https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2021/03/09/daily-amtrak-rail-service-return-montana-...
by mulad
March 8th, 2021, 6:25 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Southside - News & General Topics
Replies: 1102
Views: 394076

Re: Southside - News & General Topics

I think it may have taken a month or two longer than they expected, but Mod42 at S 32nd Ave & E 42nd St had signs up saying they were open by January 30th when I took this. Still not bad for only delivering the modules in September. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50913580021_0759e3135e_z.jp...
by mulad
March 8th, 2021, 6:12 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow
Replies: 316
Views: 357081

Re: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow

Here's an 18-unit apartment building going in at 3136 Minnehaha Ave, replacing what appeared to be a single-family home. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51010981941_5f2a09ce45_z.jpg PXL_20210306_194643892 by Michael Hicks , on Flickr https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51010271533_d85b48e71a_z.j...
by mulad
March 8th, 2021, 6:03 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow
Replies: 316
Views: 357081

Re: Hiawatha-Lake - Minnehaha - Downtown Longfellow

I'm going to assume this is going to become an Auto Zone again, unless proven otherwise. The new building is pushed to the corner, though.

Image
PXL_20210306_195720511 by Michael Hicks, on Flickr