Per Trains Newswire:
(http://trn.trains.com/~/media/Images/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2012/10/Minneapolis%20Light%20Rail%201%20Glischinski.jpg?bc=000000&mw=225)
(http://trn.trains.com/~/media/Images/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2012/10/Minneapolis%20Light%20Rail%202%20Glischinski.jpg?bc=000000&mw=225)
MINNEAPOLIS â€" The first new light rail vehicle for the Central Corridor Light Rail Line was unveiled in Minneapolis today. It is the first of 47 cars being built for the line, which will link the Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul, Minn., downtowns when it opens in 2014.
The new cars are being built at Siemens’ Sacramento, Calif., plant, and will be delivered through April 2014, peaking at four arrivals a month in 2013. The cars cost $3.3 million each. Twelve additional cars are also under construction for the existing Hiawatha Light Rail Line.
Metro Transit, which operates the Twin Cities transit system, is “rebranding†its routes. The Hiawatha Line will become the “Blue Line,†and the line’s 27 existing Bombardier-built cars being repainted and station graphics updated. The Central Corridor Line will be the “Green Line†when it opens. With the new cars, both lines will be able operate three-car trains during peak periods and for special events
The new 11-mile “Green Line†will have several traffic generators including both downtowns, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota state capitol complex. The new line will terminate at the restored St. Paul Union Depot in downtown St. Paul and will connect with the Hiawatha LRT line at the Metrodome station in Minneapolis. It will also connect with the Northstar commuter rail line at Target Field Station.
Testing of the new cars on the Central Corridor will begin in late 2013. The outcome of the tests will determine the line’s opening date in 2014.
(http://www.metrotransit.org/Data/Sites/1/media/lightrail/lrt_map.gif)
Cool stuff. That is a great, progressive part of the country.
What is so great about this layout is that is serves the most critical pieces of Minneapolis locales and serves as a backbone for the city. Buses serve as feeders.
- VA Hospital
- Sports Facilities (Target Field, Metrodome)
- Mall of America
- Airport
This also connects with the Northstar Commuter Rail at Target Field.
http://www.northstartrain.org/ (http://www.northstartrain.org/)
(http://www.mn2020hindsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/northstar-300x209.jpg)
(http://www.metrotransit.org/Data/Sites/1/media/northstar/northstar_stations_map.gif)
Do you have a map of the Central Corridor/Green Line to St. Paul? There are a lot of systems coming online. Soon, it may be easier to keep up with the list of communities not improving alternative forms of mobility than those who are investing in these quality of life enhancements.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 16, 2012, 12:30:58 PM
Do you have a map of the Central Corridor/Green Line to St. Paul? There are a lot of systems coming online. Soon, it may be easier to keep up with the list of communities not improving alternative forms of mobility than those who are investing in these quality of life enhancements.
The official site for the Central Corridor is located here:
http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/centralcorridor.asp (http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/centralcorridor.asp)
(http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/images/CCmapshortg.jpg)