Minneapolis Streetcar System

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
mattaudio
Stone Arch Bridge
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Location: NORI: NOrth of RIchfield

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby mattaudio » April 23rd, 2015, 11:27 am

I've said it before, I'll say it again... if the streetcar was able to be extended to 46th, or even 38th-42nd, then combine the southern part of the 11 with the 18. Cut over on 46th Street and then run it up 4th Ave S. But, difficult to make this work if we're only bringing it to Lake Street.

EOst
Capella Tower
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Location: Saint Paul

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby EOst » April 23rd, 2015, 11:46 am

I've heard that about the Whittier Alliance, though I don't have much first-hand knowledge. Does that matter, though? The northern part of Nicollet in Whittier is zoned OR3 or OR2, which is pretty permissive; even the southern parts are C3A, and I'd have a hard time imagining the City Council (especially with Lisa Bender as CM) denying a height variance for something four stories, especially on the vacant lots.

You may be right that Eat Street is a little tired, but Central is pretty much a dead zone between Hennepin and around 18th. Besides, the potential streetcar foot traffic is just the sort of thing Eat Street needs to make more places like Black Sheep or Glam Doll viable.

xandrex
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: January 30th, 2013, 11:14 am

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby xandrex » April 23rd, 2015, 1:58 pm

Agreed that NE is pretty much a dead zone between about 7th Street NE until you get to at least Broadway.

One big problem with NE is that it's very dispersed. I've heard some people talking about brewery hopping, but you really need a bike or car to accomplish that in any decent amount of time. And even when they are nearby (like, say, Bauhaus and Sociable) there are rail lines in the way that make getting between them a chore.

Also, there just really isn't a contingent really fighting for anything in NE. South Minneapolis wields considerably more power.

helsinki
Landmark Center
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Joined: October 9th, 2012, 2:01 am

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby helsinki » April 28th, 2015, 10:52 am

Apropos the continually re-occurring assertion that streetcars do not carry significantly more passengers than articulated buses, I can't help but share the below graphic:

http://www.nuernberg.de/imperia/md/verk ... taeten.jpg

(218 people = 1 streetcar = 2 articulated buses = 145 cars)

I really, really hope we can stop using Tampa, Little Rock, and even Portland as comparisons. There are better examples out there, it's true!

Scott Wood
Metrodome
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Joined: June 25th, 2012, 11:26 pm

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby Scott Wood » April 28th, 2015, 12:37 pm

The Straßenbahn in that picture looks quite a bit like what we'd call a light rail vehicle. Are the actual vehicles being discussed for Minneapolis closer to that or to what is used in Portland, etc.? From http://www.midtowncommunityworks.org/do ... Report.pdf: "Although there
is a range of streetcar types operating today, the most common streetcars generally
have capacities in the range of an articulated bus – around 60 to 70 seated
passengers and a maximum of 110 passengers (seated and standing)."

If the point is just about what's possible, how much do the costs change if you move to those larger vehicles?

VAStationDude
US Bank Plaza
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Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby VAStationDude » April 28th, 2015, 12:54 pm

The best we could hope for is the Siemens S70 street car which is about forty feet shorter than the Siemens Avenio Munich street car.

helsinki
Landmark Center
Posts: 289
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 2:01 am

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby helsinki » April 28th, 2015, 1:04 pm

The Straßenbahn in that picture looks quite a bit like what we'd call a light rail vehicle. Are the actual vehicles being discussed for Minneapolis closer to that or to what is used in Portland, etc.? From http://www.midtowncommunityworks.org/do ... Report.pdf: "Although there
is a range of streetcar types operating today, the most common streetcars generally
have capacities in the range of an articulated bus – around 60 to 70 seated
passengers and a maximum of 110 passengers (seated and standing)."

If the point is just about what's possible, how much do the costs change if you move to those larger vehicles?
The tram in the picture is an ADtranz GT8N. Here is a video of how it works in Bremen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XL5Kgf7Z9I

Presumably the Skoda vehicles used in Portland would be the default go-to model for Nicollet-Central. They are shorter than the ADtranz, for sure.

To the best of my knowledge, what we call "light rail" vehicles are essentially differentiated by their weight - a factor that I think is largely determined by the intended speed of the vehicle. I assume this requires a more supportive track bed and adds to cost. Again, I'm not sure. But I think the "light rail" designation has more to do with the form of the mode itself - partially grade separated, separate guideway, etc - than it has to do with the vehicles themselves.

RailBaronYarr
Capella Tower
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Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby RailBaronYarr » April 28th, 2015, 3:00 pm

I won't disagree that there are larger options out there. But the project documents have repeatedly compared equipment as an articulated bus - 60', 70-90 passenger capacity (although New Flyer lists 60 seated and 60 standing capacity for their 60' articulated buses) and 67' streetcar with 110-120 person capacity. There's no doubt that a streetcar will feel roomier and people will be more willing to stand given the smoother ride. If you're saying it's likely Minneapolis will go for a longer model to maximize the physical investments in the ground, then great! But if it's mostly likely they'll go with a smaller model, then I'd say they're still pretty close.

seanrichardryan
IDS Center
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Location: Merriam Park, St. Paul

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby seanrichardryan » May 26th, 2016, 9:39 pm

Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

grant1simons2
IDS Center
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Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby grant1simons2 » May 26th, 2016, 10:10 pm

'Shakapec'

seanrichardryan
IDS Center
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Joined: June 3rd, 2012, 9:33 pm
Location: Merriam Park, St. Paul

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby seanrichardryan » May 26th, 2016, 10:32 pm

Frindley
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

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

Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby mamundsen » May 27th, 2016, 10:11 am

Are those typos or old city names?

kiliff75
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 175
Joined: February 3rd, 2013, 10:14 pm
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Re: Minneapolis Streetcar System

Postby kiliff75 » May 27th, 2016, 8:40 pm

Rosemont! Bald Eagle!!


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