Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

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Korh
Union Depot
Posts: 390
Joined: March 8th, 2017, 10:21 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Korh » December 15th, 2017, 8:22 pm

Still don't think Johnson is the worst option when it comes to LRT since we still have Osmek to deal with who might stop just shy of ripping out all of our existing rail lines and replace them with buses

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mamundsen
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: November 15th, 2012, 10:01 am

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby mamundsen » December 18th, 2017, 10:22 pm

This derailment news out of the NW is terrible. First time ever on this new route.

https://apnews.com/83757b6c224148549b78 ... _medium=AP

Could it be because they were just going too fast?

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby DanPatchToget » December 18th, 2017, 10:37 pm

Very likely. Slight curve with a speed restriction, and I've read just a couple miles before the bridge the train was traveling 81 miles per hour (still could've slowed down before the curve, but I'm feeling that wasn't the case for this train).

David Greene
IDS Center
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby David Greene » December 19th, 2017, 2:16 pm

The train was going 50mph over the speed limit.

Why the hell wasn't PTC installed when they upgraded the route?

MNdible
is great.
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Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby MNdible » December 19th, 2017, 2:31 pm

Why do we still have people driving trains? (Kind of a serious question.)

RailBaronYarr
Capella Tower
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby RailBaronYarr » December 19th, 2017, 2:41 pm

Also, PTC was installed but isn't operational yet. Which is kind of boggling that they'd run full passenger service before having it.

I'm not convinced that we need driverless inter-city trains for safety (or even keeping costs down, tbh). Japan manages to run timely, frequent, and VERY SAFE inter-city and high-speed trains with drivers. I could be convinced otherwise, obviously, but I think the majority of safety improvements (to a system already safer than driving, mind you) comes from other structural improvements to rail operations.

tmart
Rice Park
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Joined: October 6th, 2017, 10:05 am
Location: Expat

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby tmart » December 20th, 2017, 11:17 am

Here is a fairly extensive discussion on Reddit on the matter from a few months ago. dunnkw's response, in particular, is quite thorough.

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby DanPatchToget » December 22nd, 2017, 7:12 pm

Southwest Prime will serve the Victoria area. Would be nice if they had a couple express buses between their little downtown and Minneapolis, even if just peak hour and peak direction only.

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FISHMANPET
IDS Center
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Joined: June 6th, 2012, 2:19 pm
Location: Corcoran

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby FISHMANPET » January 5th, 2018, 5:44 pm

Has anyone ever been approached by someone fundraising and collecting signatures for a permit for "Bucket Boys" while riding transit? It's happened to me a number of times while riding the train or waiting for it. I can find little to no information about any "bucket boys" in Minnesota, other than a trio that appears to have played some halftime shows for the Timberwolves (so they wouldn't need a permit to play outside the Target Center, and also they appear to be older). They're just having people sign randomly on their flyers and I don't think that would be acceptable for any kind of official city process. I've also seen them for over a year now, if this mythical permit did exist they would have had to have raised enough funds by now.

But since I got called racist by the guy collecting money on the train for them just now, I want to see if there's some legitimate process that's happening here or if it's just a scam some people are trying to run on transit commuters.

Bakken2016
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: September 20th, 2017, 12:40 pm
Location: North Loop

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Bakken2016 » January 5th, 2018, 5:45 pm

Unplanned LRT shutdown between Target Field and Warehouse until 4am due to broken track.


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DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1645
Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby DanPatchToget » January 5th, 2018, 7:35 pm

Has anyone ever been approached by someone fundraising and collecting signatures for a permit for "Bucket Boys" while riding transit? It's happened to me a number of times while riding the train or waiting for it. I can find little to no information about any "bucket boys" in Minnesota, other than a trio that appears to have played some halftime shows for the Timberwolves (so they wouldn't need a permit to play outside the Target Center, and also they appear to be older). They're just having people sign randomly on their flyers and I don't think that would be acceptable for any kind of official city process. I've also seen them for over a year now, if this mythical permit did exist they would have had to have raised enough funds by now.

But since I got called racist by the guy collecting money on the train for them just now, I want to see if there's some legitimate process that's happening here or if it's just a scam some people are trying to run on transit commuters.
I've seen a few people asking for signatures and money to help their group, one of which I'm pretty sure was the "Bucket Boys". I think the guy said something about getting permission to play at the plaza in front of US Bank Stadium for the Super Bowl. Every time they come to me I just say I don't have cash and have a nice day. Except once where I had my headphones on (which is usually the international symbol for don't talk to me unless its urgent) and as soon as the guy came up to me I shook my head. Thankfully he got the message and didn't call me a racist.

I'm not sure if this is new on our light rail, because I've only been seeing this the past couple years. I've seen it on the NYC Subway and Los Angeles Metro too.

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: May 31st, 2012, 8:02 pm
Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Tcmetro » January 5th, 2018, 10:18 pm

Common scam run by gangs on CTA here in Chicago. Usually a sob story about getting funds for a youth basketball tournament, but in reality there is no tournament.

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby DanPatchToget » January 14th, 2018, 10:45 pm

Details of the added service by Metro Transit leading up to the Super Bowl:
https://www.metrotransit.org/super-bowl-riders

I might have to take advantage of the midday Northstar service. Will the standard peak hour fare apply, or will it be considered off peak?

intercomnut
Rice Park
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Joined: April 23rd, 2015, 1:04 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby intercomnut » January 16th, 2018, 11:56 am

Governor’s proposed bonding bill includes $50 million for a “Busway, Bus Guideway and Express Bus Development Program” for the metro. Anyone know any details about this?

Edit: Did some googling and it looks like it would support design/ROW acquisition/construction of the D Line, design/ ROW acquisition for the B line (Lake St), environmental work for other aBRT projects, and design/construction of express bus improvements. https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/documents/budge ... im-cap.pdf

EOst
Capella Tower
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Location: Saint Paul

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby EOst » January 16th, 2018, 2:16 pm

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Qhaberl
Foshay Tower
Posts: 855
Joined: February 25th, 2016, 9:51 am

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Qhaberl » January 16th, 2018, 4:16 pm

That's definitely a good thing. They need to figure out a way to get the BRT's moving faster through downtown, once they're built. I know they're going to have the off board fair payment system, but it still the back up of traffic that causes most of the delays. If they can get the D line running through downtown at a nice pace during rush hour that would be good.


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Qhaberl
Foshay Tower
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Qhaberl » January 16th, 2018, 4:17 pm

Thinking more about a good pilot route, what about giving the six some dedicated space. It can get pretty slow on Hennepin in the afternoon.


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gopherfan
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 129
Joined: January 15th, 2013, 5:09 pm

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby gopherfan » January 17th, 2018, 12:38 pm

Thinking more about a good pilot route, what about giving the six some dedicated space. It can get pretty slow on Hennepin in the afternoon.
Hennepin is set to undergo reconstruction in 2020. https://www.hennepindowntown.com/ Now is the time to push for better bus routing downtown. Also, the 6 is set to become the E Line https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... pdate.aspx

alexschief
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: November 12th, 2015, 11:35 am
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby alexschief » January 18th, 2018, 10:34 am

Why is the route of the E Line so small? Surely it should go further south, perhaps all the way to Southdale? Also further north, at the very minimum across the river to serve St. Anthony.

Anondson
IDS Center
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Location: Where West Minneapolis Once Was

Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Anondson » January 18th, 2018, 10:46 am

Maybe a separate future line from West Lake Station to Southdale could be in the options? It’d take a transfer or two, but that would start to fit a nice grid transit network.


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