Minnesota Report
Before the NorthStar line and the Light Rail Line Green Line were completed, we had an interesting conversation with Phillip Qualey, then lobbyist for the United Transportation Union, now retired. Qualey discuss the capacity for a high speed rail line between St Paul and Minneapolis and running as the NorthStar did on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), or the Canadian Pacific (CP) lines.
The speed would be 60 mph slightly over the speed of the commercial trains. We believe, with the NorthStar defunkt, Metro Transit should get rid of those train and provide them to Amtrak and then a federal train system could actually fix a number of problems Metro Transit has with its carrier system. The federal operators will have no time for the fentanyl users, the scafflawers, deploy all three train cars and will be able to operate past 11:30 pm, which is downright stupid.
The ability for commuters to be able to get on the train at reasonable hours, not 5:30 in the morning or 4:30 in the afternoon, which was pathetic scheduling. Sure accommodation will need to be made with the federal Surface Transportation Board, but Sens Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Congresswomen Betty McCollum (D-MN4) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN5) could get the conversation underway.
Hey Commissioner Charlie Zelle are you listening?