PHOTOS from the Twin Cities

[WMATAGMOAGH]

In honor of the opening of Metro Transit's new Green Line this weekend, connecting Minneapolis to St. Paul, here are some photos I took of the light rail in those cities back when I was there in early May.  My visit was not timed with the opening of the new line, obviously, so I only got to ride the Blue Line, which runs from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America.  It's a fairly efficient system that gets decent speeds between stations, and I was impressed at the loading speed at Target Field after a Twins game ended.  It also has an interesting mix of street running and separate ROW, including some elevated stretches near Fort Snelling, and a tunnel section near the airport.

I only witnessed Green Line trains being tested in downtown St. Paul.  Trains didn't carry passengers but made simulated stops.  Platforms were barricaded.  Some are upset that when the Green Line opens, bus service (and travel times) between the two cities will be impacted negatively, since the almost nonstop bus from downtown to downtown is faster than the light rail will be, and that service is being downgraded significantly.

Here are the photos:

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I was in Minneapolis visiting family last month and got transit photos from both of the Twin Cities.  Here are some of them.  As you'll see, Gilligs dominate the fleets not only of Metro Transit but some of the other agencies operating in the area, but there are some New Flyers and MCI over the road coaches. 

[Chargerdodge9]

Was that Nova LFS in the last photo a BRT Hybrid or a clean-diesel?

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Not sure, my guess is BRT hybrid.  I didn't ride it, just photographed it.