urbanMSP

Does anybody know when the first official trains will run? I saw somewhere else that a ceremonial ribbon cutting will occur at Union Depot with service starting at 10 a.m., but out of curiosity I went to the trip planner on Metro Transit's website, and it indicates that the first train leaves Target Field at 4:04 a.m. The first train out of Union Depot is set for 3 a.m.

Does anyone know if the trip planner is just messed or something?

I don't think they entered a special schedule into the trip planner for the opening day. From what I've read, there will be Green Line buses until 10 am, when train service starts, and I would imagine Green Line buses will continue throughout the day, because the trains will likely be very crowded.

I don't think they entered a special schedule into the trip planner for the opening day. From what I've read, there will be Green Line buses until 10 am, when train service starts, and I would imagine Green Line buses will continue throughout the day, because the trains will likely be very crowded.

I figured the ribbon cutting would be a ceremonial thing, not actually the opening. Makes sense, I guess.

The info page about the opening ceremonies say that they will have trains waiting at all the stations with events to depart simultaneously at 10 am. Green Line buses will run throughout the day. All the other associated bus changes begin at 4 am , I believe, or when scheduled service starts for the day.

I've been seeing the covers coming off of the ticket machines for the past 10 days. I think they're all uncovered now.

They're using the green badge and destination instead of TEST TRAIN now, but they still seem to be working out the kinks a bit. When I saw a train headed Minneapolis-bound its sign said "Metrodome/Downtown East" instead of Target Field.

They're using the green badge and destination instead of TEST TRAIN now, but they still seem to be working out the kinks a bit. When I saw a train headed Minneapolis-bound its sign said "Metrodome/Downtown East" instead of Target Field.

We are testing the automatic announcement system on the trains.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 31051.html

I'm just so annoyed by all this. 2 crashes and plenty of bad press from both the strib and mpr.

I was on university ave with a friend and I saw some good and bad things. They were doing practice runs and the bad that I saw was that although lights were somewhat timed, trains slowed for by each light. The good was that it was kind of timed for the trains and lights were very brief for turns, only long enough to let by the two or three cars waiting, but very long parallel to the train. So the train moved through the lights 90 percent of the time. But still at one point I passed a train and gained a lot of ground. That's not good

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 31051.html

I'm just so annoyed by all this. 2 crashes and plenty of bad press from both the strib and mpr.

Crashes happen. People need to be more aware of their surroundings. Frankly, I'm getting a bit tired of all the MPR bashing.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 31051.html

I'm just so annoyed by all this. 2 crashes and plenty of bad press from both the strib and mpr.

Is a car hitting a train worth getting annoyed about? That article actually isn't too negative, and is just reporting on a crash that everyone was OK in.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 31051.html

I'm just so annoyed by all this. 2 crashes and plenty of bad press from both the strib and mpr.

Given that this accident occurred on a section of track that's been running for ten years this month (!!!) I don't think that the fact it was a Green Line training vehicle is relevant at all. It just happened to be a Green Line, not Blue Line, train that she hit. Probably needed to put the cell phone down.

If you substitute "truck" for train in that story this would not be in the paper. Not even the online version.

What other non-injury, minor damage accidents get written up like this?

They're using the green badge and destination instead of TEST TRAIN now, but they still seem to be working out the kinks a bit. When I saw a train headed Minneapolis-bound its sign said "Metrodome/Downtown East" instead of Target Field.

I saw this too, but later this afternoon I've already seen two trains properly showing "Target Field," so looks like it's just a kink to get worked out.

Weren't they updating the signage on Bombardiers before the Green Line opening? I've noticed quite a few with new colored LEDs, but still many without. Not a huge deal, but if you have two trains labeled "Target Field," the folks from out of town aren't going to know that old trains = Blue Line.

EDIT: Actually, I think the Bombardiers without updated signage tend to say "Downtown Minneapolis" instead of the terminus. Point still stands, I guess.

Not a huge deal, but if you have two trains labeled "Target Field," the folks from out of town aren't going to know that old trains = Blue Line.

But if they're going to Target Field, and are downtown, it won't matter which train they get on (Blue or Green), as they'll both end there...

Not a huge deal, but if you have two trains labeled "Target Field," the folks from out of town aren't going to know that old trains = Blue Line.

But if they're going to Target Field, and are downtown, it won't matter which train they get on (Blue or Green), as they'll both end there...

*thinks a little bit*

You make a good point.

But for the sake of consistency, they should all say "Target Field" as the northbound/westbound destination. Hopefully that is fixed soon.
Also, everything I have heard indicates that they won't only use the Bombardiers on the Blue Line, so people shouldn't make an assumption about what line it is by the equipment type. I have yet to see any of the old LRVs testing on the Green Line, aside from some photos from early in the testing process, however

Yeah, I haven't seen any Bombardiers on the line for quite a while now -- 2 or 3 months, maybe? Maybe not that long...

With the talk of the Green Line signals, I thought I'd mention Addler traffic signal lenses.


Notice the resemblance to LRT signals. These were an option in early traffic signals as an aid to colorblind people. They were never popular and are very rare now, I don't own a set since they normally go for more than $1000.00 a set.

Those lights are great. Shame they didn't catch on.