People don't care how fast and short the train is, they don't want to be delayed. If they're on their bike they don't want to lose momentum, and if they're jogging they don't want to stand and wait. If that sounds illogical you're right, because people who try to beat a train aren't thinking logically no matter what their reasoning is.If the train is going 50 mph, there’s little reason to try to beat it, as it will pass quickly (as opposed to a very slow-moving train).BNSF wouldn't allow it, and I don't blame them. Too many possible pedestrians and bikers that will try to beat the train, and these trains go up to 50 miles per hour on that segment. This rail line was built for speed and that includes the limited at-grade crossings; in St. Louis Park the closest at-grade crossings are West Island Avenue on Nicollet Island and Crosby Road all the way in Wayzata.Again, this is a case where an at-grade rail crossing would make SO MUCH MORE SENSE.
An at-grade crossing would cost way less, would require much less effort on the part of cyclists & pedestrians, and would be way faster 95% of the time.
Also just because freight trains can operate 50 miles per hour on this line doesn't mean they always do. Sometimes they operate slower, or they're even stopped because they have to wait for clearance to get into Northtown Yard.