urbanMSP

The 16 will terminate at Oak and University? That's news to me - I thought it would mirror the Green Line route all the way from downtown to downtown.

There is a bus stop sign on southbound Oak and Washington, right next to the rusty metal wall. Not sure how long it's been there, and I didn't see if there's a corresponding stop on the far (northbound) side of the street.

Freaking finally. I'm sooo sick of looking at ugly fences cutting through the heart of campus, especially the last several months when construction has obviously been complete.

The 16 will terminate at Oak and University? That's news to me - I thought it would mirror the Green Line route all the way from downtown to downtown.

East of Oak, the 16 will stop at all of its current stops to serve people who can't make the extra quarter-mile walk to the Green Line stations. West of Oak, the Green Line stops almost everywhere the 16 does, so the bus is (even more) redundant, and will only run that section during the wee hours when the train isn't running.

From the way the map looks that twincitizen posted, it looks like the buses will be turning on Oak St.

I'm expecting the 16 buses to be empty after the LRT opens. The distance between stations (and therefore the average distance between two stations) is a little shorter due to the length of the platforms. So basically, someone is never more than a block and a half from a station entrance on the main segment of University.

Click on the schedule. All old stops and 24 hour service. And finally this "Although joint operation of buses and trains on tracks is new to the Twin Cities, it is not uncommon in other transit systems." Yes minneapolis did not invent busses driving on tracks. Many areas its a mixed lane!

Some work has taken place on the overhead wire near the capitol along University Avenue. It's mostly single-wire stuff east of Farrington Street, so I guess speeds will be lower there. That section includes the transition from center-running to being aligned along the south side of University.

If anybody wants to see what bus shelters look like before they're fully assembled, hurry down to the Coffman bus stop on Washington Ave - it looks like the un-assembled shelters were delivered last night.

If anybody wants to see what bus shelters look like before they're fully assembled, hurry down to the Coffman bus stop on Washington Ave - it looks like the un-assembled shelters were delivered last night.

Good teamwork!

(I need to get a usable camera...)

nerds.

They were doing testing in Lowertown last night. My sister posted a few pictures of it near the farmers market. Crazy to think that it will still take up to 6 months to be up and running.

I took a trip along University Avenue on the 50 tonight to take a look at the catenary system.

(Sidenote: It is impossible to tell the difference between a route 50 stop and a route 16 stop, and the 50 doesn't stop where you expect. I would complain louder, but fortunately it won't matter in a few months.)

Looks like the wires are very nearly all tensioned up -- I only noticed wires on pulleys above the crossover between Rice and Marion, and again just west of Dale Street. In a few more spots, I noticed that the shielded black power supply cables were still coiled up and not yet connected to the bare wires of the catenary system.

This makes me think we're only a week or two away from the first test runs along the entire length of the line, but there could be other work I'm not aware of -- there may be some signaling work lingering around, particularly at the crossovers along the route.

The last of the catenary system is finish between Farmington and Robert St. Dead car tow line test was done today. Live wire will be done soon. I was out to the OMF this week and saw that the track has been laid for the yard and the parking lot look ready.

by mamundsen
They were doing testing in Lowertown last night. My sister posted a few pictures of it near the farmers market. Crazy to think that it will still take up to 6 months to be up and running.

Any good pictures?

Wonderful news. It will be great to see our second light rail line open.

Here is a picture of the Green Line in Lowertown.

Try this: http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/71255212@N00/10988311165/

I'd have my friend who is a light rail instructor and part of the testing crew take some pics. But his shift is in the dead of night so I'm sure the pics would not be the best. He also would not be able to while operating a train either.

LRV #104 just pulled through the U of M campus (under its own power). I don't know if live-wire testing has been going on very long, but this is the first train I've seen through campus in many months.

They have been testing around the U for a few months now. A friend is part of the drivers that are testing the trains and system. He generally works in the evening and over night when testing can be done without the worry of a lot of U students around.

The lights were out at University and Lexington a short while ago. There were multiple squad cars at the intersection too. I wonder if the testing came along university tonight?

The would have been me operating in the U of M today. Dead wire testing and live wire was finished today between Chatsworth St and Robert St. The Green Line now has power from Minneapolis and St Paul.

If I may ask, what other testing needs to be done before the line opens?