Blue Line (Hiawatha LRT)

[Tcmetro]

I would imagine with some schedule changes they could make the Blue Line truly a 24 hour service on Fridays and Saturdays. With another trip or two the rest of the week, the line could be a 24 hour service daily.

[Lancestar2]

Looks like the Blue Line is getting one more late night trip. The last run will leave Target Field at 2:57am on weekends. The previous last run was at 2:13am.

Article: http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 49991.html

yea! progress! ...although now that many bars and clubs stay open to 3am on the weekend I wish it was a 3:15 stop instead! that way it would allow people to stay to closing and be able to walk to the station in time. Either way a huge step forward

Also now that the window wraps are gone from the advertising wraps why can't we all just be happy with window signs they can manually change? Correct me if im wrong but each time a train is finished with the route the driver walks from one end of the train to the other side which if they were changing the route (adding a train car for rush hour or taking one away and moving it to the other color line system) they simply could change the display next to the door (2 doors on each side means 4 doors and 4 signs) I don't think that would be to difficult.

For example



Of course this would be in addition to the green/blue square in the front and the outside train led light sign already installed on the LRT car. There is only what 5 stations where the lines cross. I don't think we need to have to many updates.

[Tcmetro]

Those signs are controlled from the operators cab. Those are simply rollsigns as opposed to electronic signs.

[Lancestar2]

Those signs are controlled from the operators cab. Those are simply rollsigns as opposed to electronic signs.

Ok but you get the idea. Inside any Target or Walmart they have in there produce section or on there endcaps signs that can be changed to show different numbers of course the quality is very cheap because they have alot of signs. What I am suggesting is a thick plastic sign that can be slid into a sign display

Or even a hanging LED sign if everybody wishes to complain about the cheap quality and easy ability to be tampered with. lol Though I think what is most important is the signs on top at the station that's where it should be accurate the most.

[FISHMANPET]

And why wouldn't we just have an LED sign that can be remote controlled and programmed?

[LRV Op Dude]

by FISHMANPET
And why wouldn't we just have an LED sign that can be remote controlled and programmed?

Agrees that LEDs are the way to go.

[mulad]

The main benefit of rollsigns is that they tend to be much more readable at a distance than either LED signs (or the digital flip-dot displays that are still common around here), simply because the text is printed at a much higher resolution than what the digital displays can currently do.

But if someone just decided to make a high-resolution digital sign, the problem would basically be moot. Fast-food joints are slowly moving toward replacing their menu boards with HDTVs, for instance, and they are just as readable if not more readable than the printed menus they'd been using before.

[LRV Op Dude]

by Matt »
Looks like the Blue Line is getting one more late night trip. The last run will leave Target Field at 2:57am on weekends. The previous last run was at 2:13am.

From the Metro Transit website:

The new trip will operate on a demonstration basis throughout 2012 and will be evaluated for ongoing ridership and operational viability.

Low ridership no service.

by Tcmetro »
I would imagine with some schedule changes they could make the Blue Line truly a 24 hour sevice on Fridays and Saturdays. With another trip or two the rest of the week, the line could be a 24 hour service daily.

As far as I know Metro Transit is not going to have 24 hour service other day of the week. The two additional trips on Friday and Saturday night are funded by City of Minneapolis. I would rather have Metro Transit spend the money elsewhere.

[Lancestar2]

The main benefit of rollsigns is that they tend to be much more readable at a distance than either LED signs (or the digital flip-dot displays that are still common around here), simply because the text is printed at a much higher resolution than what the digital displays can currently do.

But if someone just decided to make a high-resolution digital sign, the problem would basically be moot. Fast-food joints are slowly moving toward replacing their menu boards with HDTVs, for instance, and they are just as readable if not more readable than the printed menus they'd been using before.

NOOOO! don't given them any ideas! HDTV's would be awful! ...eventually they may consider selling ad space on them and we would have to stand at stations and be forced to listen and watch advertisements over and over like they do at Walmart

and yes I'm not a fan of the LED signs a bit more difficult to read I would agree, but they work decent. Also unlike buses the LRT trains will only have 2 options Blue line display or Green line display (4 if you count ea. direction too)

[LRV Op Dude]

by Lancestar2
eventually they may consider selling ad space on them and we would have to stand at stations and be forced to listen and watch advertisements over and over like they do at Walmart

[BBvideo 425,350]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUERvk4og88[/BBvideo]

[MSPtoMKE]

As far as I know Metro Transit is not going to have 24 hour service other day of the week. The two additional trips on Friday and Saturday night are funded by City of Minneapolis. I would rather have Metro Transit spend the money elsewhere.

Oh, you probably just don't want your night shift to be any later than it already is!

Regarding the destination signs on the new LRVs, from the photo that I have seen, it does seem that the new signs are brighter than on the current LRVs, so from a distance and at night, they would probably be more visible than roll signs.

And as for the above video... Advertisers seem to be going to greater and greater lengths the grab our attention. I would not be surprised to see things like this escalating to a "Blade Runner-like" level. There is of course concern that these signs would be distracting and unsafe, but each time they ratchet up the level of visibility, we seem more and more able to tune it out...

[Lancestar2]

WOW because driving in NYC is not distracting enough now you get to drive parallel to a bus with a bright shinny tv ad? I would hope the ads are only visible when the bus is in the lane next to the curb! (provided the tv sign is only on the passenger side) Sure looks to be annoying late at night to see some bright ad's trying to get your attention!

[FISHMANPET]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure those video ads would be illegal as hell, because they're so distracting. Aren't digital billboards illegal in some places, even though they're not animated, because they change so quickly? A video on a bus in your periphery? That's basically begging for an accident.

[Tcmetro]

A friend who works at the airport said he saw the new Type 2 LRV's testing around 3 in the morning a few nights ago.

[Nick]

I feel like the Lake Street station has taken eight years to age fifty years. This is why we can't have nice things.

[twincitizen]

Yeah, the combination of large glass panels and ballasted track (hey, free rocks for throwing) was a bit shortsighted. But maybe you were referring to something else? The maintenance is just lacking in general.

[seanrichardryan]

Seems no stickier/ crustier than stations in other rail systems in major cities, the exception being the Metro in DC.

[LRV Op Dude]

Siemens S70 will be revealed to the public on Wednesday Oct. 10, 2012 at Target Field Station. The new Siemens S70 LRV # 201 and the repainted Bombardier Flexity Swift LRV # 104 will pull in to the station at 1:30 pm. The LRVs will be painted in the new METRO brand.

Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh will be on hand with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, St Paul and Minneapolis mayors, and commissioner from Ramsey and Hennepin counties.

[VAStationDude]

The platforms are usually no worse than Nicollet or the other busy stations. Replacing those anti explosive trash bins would help with litter. Shoving anything larger than a pack of smokes in there is difficult. The stairs are absolutely disgusting and need regular deep cleanings.

For disgusting trash nothing will ever top metrodome station this morning. Of course drunken disgusting behavior from vikings fans is to be celebrated, subsidized and considered part of "Minnesota's culture.. "

[MNdible]

Why do you hate the game day experience?