Hiawatha LRT Project
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
Hiawatha LRT Project
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
LRT System is operational.
End of the line platform at Fort Snelling on opening day
Pre-revenue testing includes "Pull Tests", during which
two 3-car trains accelerate within a segment of the system.
LRV #101 became stuck on the ice covered tracks on Dec 11, 2003. A storm had
dropped 10" of snow 2 days prior. Adjacent property owners had blown snow and
salt onto the tracks, then a hard freeze finalized the fate of the LRV.
Tunnel under Construction
Indoor storage area for 24 cars.
Outside the maintenance facility
Doors to Maintenance area of facility
The first light rail car in Minnesota. In April 2003, the car was undergoing many tests.
The cars need to be accessable on the top and bottom for crews to fix them.
Train wash. MetroTransit said they have a mini-water treatment
center here, so they can recycle about 80% of their water.
Light rail station construction in Downtown Minneapolis
(most of downtown lies behind the camera).
This is the cut-cover section before the tunnel. The tunnel begins towards the
back of the picture. The ground composition is limestone, shale, and sandstone,
which according to the company who bore the tunnels said is great land to bore in.
Photos by Thatcher Imboden
April 2003
The package substation shown is situated at 24th Ave. So just east of
Minnehaha Ave. Note the size, 42' X 15'. They are rated at 1.5 megawatts.
A larger substation has been installed at the maintenance facility that
measures 15' X 52'. The voltage is the standard for new starts, 750VDC.
An interesting feature of the auxiliary substation that powers the shop
building itself is rated at 677VDC (10% less than the mainline 750VDC).
The photo showing trackwork in downtown MPLS shows the combination
gauge bar and leveling support suppiied by Iron Horse Equipment.
Photos by Fred Lonnes
August 2002
A crossection of the rail and rubber encasement that is being used
in the LRT embedded rail in downtown Minneapolis. Note that the rail is
slightly canted to the side between the gauge side of each rail.
It may help prevent excess nosing of the trucks?
Unlike older systems the track is levelled from underneath by raising or
lowering an insulated gaugebar/support positioned about every eight feet.
The bar as well as the rubber encasement is reportedly sold by
Iron Horse Technical Products.
Photo by John DeWitt
July 2002
From 28th Street north to 11th Ave. South, the ROW follows the old Milwaukee Road
alignment which connected the Milwaukee Road’s main line to the downtown depot.
This ROW appears to have carried five tracks at some locations. Just north of 11th Avenue,
a single track spur served the Star-Tribune publishing plant using this bridge over
3rd Street/Washington Avenue. The bridge is being widened to carry two tracks.
This view looks south from 11th Avenue towards the Cedar-Riverside station.
The first track has gone in in downtown Minneapolis
on 5th Street between Portland and 5th Avenue.
The storage tracks, S1 to S4, of the maintenance
facility looking south from the 6th Street entrance to Eastbound I-94.
The maintenance tracks, M1 to M4, of the maintenance
facility. The wash bay is the far left door.
The eastern side of the maintenance facility showing
the main line curving around to the left.
The flyover crossing Hiawatha Avenue at 28th Street
with all falsework and scaffolding removed.
A shot of the flyover from below.
Construction of the bridge/station over Lake Street in a shot taken from the 3rd floor
of the Edison PPL School. Lake Street crosses the bottom of the photo, while the
Hiawatha alignment is on a bridge parallel to and behind the LRT bridge/station.
Just south of Minnehaha Park, the LRT line diverges from Hiawatha Avenue
and follows Minnehaha Avenue towards the VA Hospital. This shot is of the
construction activity on Minnehaha Avenue just north of 54th Street.
The tunnel under the airport consists of three different types of construction:
The ‘boat section’ starts the decent where an open cut is sufficient.
The ‘box tube section’ with an 18’ square concrete tube is used where
a cut and cover technique works, and the tunnel boring machine (TBM) is used at greater depths.
This photo shows the head of the TBM between the tunnel bore and the
box tube section ready to be lifted out. The TBM was dismantled and
transported back to the north end to begin digging the second shaft.
It could not be just turned around at the southern end because there was no staging area.
The photo shows the apparatus that was set up to lift the head
of the TBM from the pit between the
tunnel and the box tube section. The cables seen here are the same cables that pass under the TBM in the
previous picture. The lifting apparatus rides on a short set of rails so that the TBM head can be rolled back
and loaded on a flatbed. Once the second shaft is completed, the box tube sections will be extended to meet the tunnel bore.
This photo shows the southern terminus of the line at the Mall of America. The grassy strip extending up
towards the center of the photo will be the ROW. The station will be on the near side of 24th Avenue and
a Skyway (Minnesotan for a climate controlled pedestrian bridge) will give light rail passengers access to the
parking ramp visible in this picture.
Photos by John Dewitt
July 2002
The Tunnel Boring Machine
This is a view of the Cedar-Riverside station
under construction as seen from 15th Avenue South
looking to the southeast.
Ties await track laying in this northbound
view from 15th Avenue South. The Metrodome
can be seen to the left.
5th Street looking west. A single-lane roadway
is near completion along the left side of the street
alignment. The LRT line uses the remaining width of the street.
Freshly laid track rests on the ties of the
northbound side of the line. The concrete ties
are still trackless southbound.
New tracks near the yard and shops facility.
Photos by Jim Preston
May 2002
Track laying activities are in progress in the foreground
of this view of the new yard and shops. Approximate location
of this view is Cedar Avenue at Franklin (20th Street).
Looking northwest along Hiawatha Avenue from East 35th Street.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome can be seen on the right of this
view of the Downtown East Station construction. Nearing completion
is the parking ramp. The actual station will be built on top of the
ramp, and an office building will occupy part of the block.
This view is looking east on 5th Street just past 5th Avenue South.
To the right is the former Armory building. The moving of utility
lines is complete, and track construction will soon begin.
Looking east from the intersection of 5th Street and Nicollet Mall.
The intersection is completely closed here for utility line moving.
To the right center is a skyway which temporarily crosses
5th Street from Gavidae Common to nowhere.
This view looks north on Hennepin Avenue at 5th Street.
This is the location of the Entertainment Center Station
and the terminus of the Hiawatha Line. Moving of utility
lines was completed here at about the end of March, 2002.
Looking northwest along Hiawatha Avenue
where the 38th Street Station will soon emerge.
Looking East on 5th Street, which is permanently closed on the
block shown here for the Government Center Station and plaza. Plaza
and station platform construction is scheduled for completion in 2002.
The Minneapolis City Hall and Courthouse building is on the left and the
Metrodome can be seen in the distance just behind the traffic signal.
Photos by Jim Preston
April 2002
The flyover at 28th and Hiawatha as seen from
the bridge over Lake Street on Hiawatha Ave.
Rail beds are in place as the line takes shape
across 15th Ave S in the Cedar-Riverside
neighborhood east of the Metrodome.
Looking north to where the Hiawatha Avenue bridge ramps
meet Lake Street on the west side of Hiawatha.
This is where the Lake Street Station will be.
Looking southeast toward the intersection of Lake Street
and the on-ramp to Hiawatha Avenue you can see that the
flyover under construction has columns for two separate tracks.
The station over Lake Street will sit between these tracks.
Looking east along Highway 62 at Hiawatha. Columns are
being constructed for the Highway 62 flyover.
There is also a highway interchange under
construction here. This location is between the
VA Hospital Station and the Fort Snelling Station..
Looking northwest along Hiawatha north of LakeStreet.
The nearest column is wider than the ones behind it
because the tracks begin to separate here to pass on
either side of the elevated Lake Street Station.
Looking southeast on Hiawatha near 28th Street.
Southbound trains will cross Hiawatha and continue
on the flyover until they pass beyond the Lake Street Station.
A view to the northwest on Hiawatha near 28th Street.
The cross-section of the overpass is visible where it temporarily terminates.
Looking northwest on Hiawatha just north of Lake Street.
The flyover passes directly over the intersection of Hiawatha
Avenue and 28th Street after paralleling Hiawatha for about
1500 feet. The downtown skyline is visible in the upper left,
and the Cedar-Riversidetowers are on the right.
Photos by Jim Preston
March 2002
New LRVs
These pictures are taken of the middle portion of the Hiawatha Corridor.
South of Lake Street, the ROW was prepared for light rail decades ago
Hiawatha Avenue passes over Minnehaha Creek just west of
Updated February 5, 2005
This is a drawing of the 38th street station.
Groundbreaking is on Thursday, August 2nd, 2001.
Rendering supplied by Hiawatha LRT Project
This is where most of the action is since the airport tunnel won't be ready
until 2004 and the Excel lawsuit has held up construction in downtown Minneapolis.
From Franklin Avenue (=20th Street) heading south to 54th Street,
the ROW parallels Hiawatha Avenue. At 28th Street, the line crosses
from the east side of Hiawatha to the west side and remains elevated
for the Lake Street Station (= 30th Street) before returning to ground
level at 32nd. The following 4 pictures were taken at the Hi-Lake.
NE corner looking to the north
In the foreground are some of the 4,500 tons of rail that
have been delivered. Behind the rail, looking like teeth
sticking up, the beginning of the concrete walls for the grade
carrying the line up and over Hiawatha and Lake can be seen.
In the background, is the skyline of Minneapolis. The building
towards the right with the clock tower and green roof is the
Minneapolis City Hall. The line will pass in front of this building.
NW corner looking NE
This picture shows the rebar structures for the columns supporting
the bridge over Hiawatha. The structure appearing at the front of
the crane is on the west side of Hiawatha. The structure over the
rear of the crane is in the median of Hiawatha. Behind the truck
on Hiawatha, the start of the grade to the bridge can be seen.
NW corner looking south
The line will remain elevated through this section. The station
at Lake Street will be on a bridge next to the bridge seen carrying
Hiawatha over Lake Street. There was a great deal of controversy
when the design-build team announced that this section would be
on an earthen fill instead of a bridge as originally planned.
Minneapolis and the Metropolitan Council agreed to fund the increased
costs of a bridge in response to demands from surrounding neighborhoods.
SW corner looking North
This view looking north from the Southwest corner of Lake
and Hiawatha shows five colums that will eventually help
support the bridge and station over Lake Street.
so only minor utility work is necessary.
NW corner looking north
Intersection of 35th Street and Hiawatha
SW corner looking south
Intersection of 35th Street and Hiawatha
The grain elevators to the east of Hiawatha are common
along this section of the line.
NW corner looking north
Intersection of 38th Street and Hiawatha
The excavation seen here is for the 38th Street station
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on August 2nd, 2001.
Minnehaha Park. MnDOT constructed a land bridge which carries
Minnehaha Parkway over both Hiawatha Avenue and the light rail line.
Looking north from Landbrige
The intersection to the north is 46th Street which will have a station.
Looking south from Landbridge
Minnehaha Creek is just visible on the right before it passes
under the light rail line and Hiawatha Avenue. Minnehaha Falls
is just a few hundred feet to the left. The "Princess Depot"
appears on the left edge of this picture behind the sound barrier
(see www.mtmuseum.org/depots. At one time
it was hoped that this 1875 former Milwaukee depot
could serve as the Minnehaha Park Station.
Southern portals of the Landbridge
The left portal is being prepared for the light rail line.
5th Street and 4th Avenue looking NW
This picture, looking northwest from the intersection of
5th Street and 4th Avenue shows some of the utility work
underway in downtown Minneapolis. The sign in the middle
of the picture is one of a series of signs along the corridor
proclaiming "LRT is on Track." The greenery behind the intersection
is on the plaza between the Hennepin County Government Center
and the Minneapolis City Hall. 5th Street will be closed to all
but LRT vehicles for that block which will be the site of the Government Plaza Station.
5th Street and Park Avenue to SW
This picture, looking east from the intersection of 5th Street
and Park Avenue, shows the block that will become the Downtown
East/Metrodome station. The light rail line will pass diagonally
across this block. Minneapolis is building a 450 car parking ramp
under the site in the anticipation that an office tower will someday
be built over the station. This station, with easy bus access, will also
serve as a major transfer point for riders going to the University of Minnesota.
Looking north from 15th Ave. South
The City Hall clock tower can be seen just above the left side of
the Metrodome and the line will actually curve behind the stadium to
get there. Although it's not evident, the line passes over I-35W a few
hundred feet north of this point.
Looking south from 15th Ave. South
Footings for the Cedar-Riverside Station can be seen just beyond the construction barricades.
Looking south from 16th Ave. South
The steel structure for the shops building can be seen
beyond the bridge which carries I-94 over the light rail line.
Shops and yards to south from I-94
The structural steel for the shops area is being erected.
Railings for the bridge over Franklin Avenue appear just left
of the center of this photo. The Franklin Avenue station will be
on this bridge. The marquee from the old Franklin Theater will be
incorporated into the station.
Shops and yards to south from I-94
The shops and yards are being constructed on the site of the
old Milwaukee Railroad coach yard which Hennepin County purchased
in the early 80s for that purpose. In this view, looking south from
I-94, the alignment to the south is evident and the ROW will curve
the east around the yard area.
Photos by John Dewitt