Blue Line LRT

[mulad]

Some shots of the new color scheme for the Bombardier units shown at the Siemens LRV unveiling at Target Field today. The "Metro Transit" logo has been moved down to between the doors, with the new "METRO" logo replacing it up at the top by the cab. The new livery also calls out the Counties Transit Improvement Board as a funding partner, removing the old Hennepin County logo.


img_6186 by Mulad, on Flickr


img_6124 by Mulad, on Flickr


img_6126 by Mulad, on Flickr

Here's a shot by Nick Benson, aka ottergoose, showing old and new livery side-by-side:


New Livery Side by Side; Minneapolis, MN by ottergoose, on Flickr

[Ottergoose]

Thanks for linking to my picture Mulad; this looks like a cool forum. I'm more of a train buff than a transit geek (what's the cool term for this subculture anyways?), but I suspect I'll be spending a decent amount of time here.

Hat tip to LRV Op Dude for the heads up on this.

[MSPtoMKE]

Welcome, Ottergoose! I am MSPdude on flickr. I don't see any reason there couldn't be discussion of freight trains and infrastructure in the transportation section, if people are interested. I personally am more interested in passenger trains, but I consider myself a Transportation Geek, in general.

Is is just me, or is the yellow on the newly painted Bombardier lighter? Or is is just that the old paint scheme is dirty?

[Ottergoose]

Is is just me, or is the yellow on the newly painted Bombardier lighter? Or is is just that the old paint scheme is dirty?

In the side by side photos I got of them, the new paint's shiny and clean, and the old LRVs were pretty grimy, so it's impossible to tell. Surely it's the same yellow they're using on the Nortstar equipment, and that's certainly not what I'd call a "light" yellow.

[Ottergoose]

Is 114 (the Bombardier in fresh paint) back in regular service yet?

[LRV Op Dude]

by Ottergoose » October 13th, 2012, 7:45 pm

Is 114 (the Bombardier in fresh paint) back in regular service yet?

I saw LRV 114 out on the line this morning.

[talindsay]

I saw 104 out in service tonight, fully repainted as well. How many of them are repainted?

[Nathan]

Pretty awesome video by the Metropolitan Council (or someone) about the impact that Hiawatha has had on the Twin Cities, as well as the future potential and necessity for more transit in the future. Hopefully helping to change the minds of a few skeptics

[BBvideo 425,350]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbNfBMy ... e=youtu.be[/BBvideo]

[talindsay]

With 119 views so far, it will need to reach a broader audience to convert any skeptics. I also think this kind of promotional piece generally serves more steel the resolve of those who are already "converted" rather than convert anybody - it's not exactly flashy, and Peter is given about 20 seconds at the end to describe future directions and planning.

Still, I for one was surprised to hear Peter McLaughlin, arguably the most powerful local leader in transit issues, mention the Gateway corridor in the same sweep as Hiawatha, Central, Southwest and Bottineau - the big three sure things and the only other highly promising line - given Gateway's questionable status. Perhaps that means that inside the CTIB there's some consensus that some LRT line should extend east toward the 3M campus? I can't imagine he seriously thinks LRT would be viable much farther out than that on the east side...

[Nathan]

With 119 views so far, it will need to reach a broader audience to convert any skeptics. I also think this kind of promotional piece generally serves more steel the resolve of those who are already "converted" rather than convert anybody - it's not exactly flashy, and Peter is given about 20 seconds at the end to describe future directions and planning.

Still, I for one was surprised to hear Peter McLaughlin, arguably the most powerful local leader in transit issues, mention the Gateway corridor in the same sweep as Hiawatha, Central, Southwest and Bottineau - the big three sure things and the only other highly promising line - given Gateway's questionable status. Perhaps that means that inside the CTIB there's some consensus that some LRT line should extend east toward the 3M campus? I can't imagine he seriously thinks LRT would be viable much farther out than that on the east side...

It's been uploaded for one day... I'd say that's a fair number of views, and it won't get to a broader audience if people complain about it rather than share it...

[UptownSport]

Watched a few moments then went on to something else. Don't need someone to interpret what i can already see

[mulad]

I see that #104 has gotten some Christmas lights and window decorations (decals).

[DFPegg]

Can anyone tell me if the use of pedestrian underpasses or bridges has been studied for any of the blue line stops? (The 38th and 46th Street Stations seem the most appropriate.)

Would that not help accessibility for pedestrians and development on the east side of Hiawatha?

[mulad]

I haven't heard of it being considered, but it's a good idea -- pedestrian tunnels don't need to be very tall, since people aren't very tall, but bridges over highways tend to need a lot of clearance, which makes stairways and bike/wheelchair ramps a lot higher/longer.

[fehler]

Yes, they've been considered in the past, a skyway of sorts at 38th street, connecting a possible development (currently becoming Longfellow Station) diagonally to the sidewalk next to the 38th street station, and an underpass tunnel from the Walgreens parking lot to 46th. I can't find files, sorry.

[blobs]

Will Minneapolis ever add more light rail stops on Hiawatha, such as at 35th street or 42nd street? How can new stops be added?

[ECtransplant]

I sure hope not, unless they add a third track or extra switches so they can run express lines.

[Tcmetro]

The original plans from the 80's called for a few more stops, namely 26th St, 35th St, 42nd St, 54th St, and one by the Delta Hangar north of 494. Quite frankly, I don't think those stops are needed as there are no crosstown buses on those streets, and the travel time from Nicollet to MOA is 35 minutes. If they did ever want to add those stops, I would like to see a skip-stop service, like the J/Z line in NYC or the former system in Chicago.

[twincitizen]

If timed perfectly with the stoplights, adding a stop at say 42nd street would only add 45-50 seconds to the trip. (deceleration, dwell time, acceleration). Those numbers are from the 3 added stops on Central Corridor, which will always travel slower and require less deceleration time than Hiawatha...so maybe up to a full minute extra for adding a stop on Hiawatha. Some people were against adding all 3 of those stops on Central, but the net time added is less than 2.5 minutes (again, assuming light timing any everything works perfectly).

I suppose I could support a stop at 42nd Street, IF we were going to tear down some single family homes and actually increase density in the walk radius of the station. Even better if we could shave 30-60 seconds off the downtown running time to make up for it! Win-win

Rather than spend ~$5 million on a station, I'd rather see increased frequency on the connecting/feeder bus routes...and the train too, if possible.

[mattaudio]

I bet the time loss would be offset by changing the rule that keeps Blue Line vehicles at a slower than design speed on the Hiawatha segment. I believe they reduced the max operational speed in that area to a level at which they do not need to sound the horn. At the slower speed, they only use the e-bell which appeases the neighbors.