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reasons, an East St. Cloud station might be better located where there would be less overlap of <br />station coverage area, readier access to a higher density residential area, and more opportunity for <br />park and ride. <br /> <br />If, instead, a terminal in Rice is selected, the present station building may be retained as a St. <br />Cloud station. <br /> <br /> One of the significant negative factors affecting the development of a commuter or regional rail <br />,, service for the Twin Cities area, is the fact that the direct rail links between Downtown St. Paul <br /> and Downtown Minneapolis have been abandoned, and the tracks removed. This means that in <br /> order to serve both Downtowns with one train, and provide a larger menu of potential <br /> destinations for the rail passenger market, reversing moves and circuitous routings would be <br /> required. An earlier service concept for the Northstar Corridor proposed splitting corridor trains <br /> at Fridley into separate Minneapolis and St. Paul sections so that both downtowns could be <br /> served. However, for purposes of this study, that feature has been elinfinated from this initial <br /> service concept. <br /> <br />As is typical for rail systems of this type, it is assumed that a reduced level of service will be <br />provided on weekends and holidays. A chief transportation characteristic of weekend travel, in <br />comparison to weekdays, is reduced peak demand for work trips, this initial service concept <br />assumes that the peak "commute" trips operated on weekdays will not be operated on weekends <br />or holidays, and that the three round-trips (morning, midday and evening) between St. Cloud and <br />Minneapolis will be retained on weekends. <br /> <br />4. Equipment Concept <br /> <br />It is assumed that the kind of equipment typically used in "new start" commuter rail operations <br />will be used on the Northstar Corridor. This will consist of bi-level coaches, operating with <br />locomotives in "push-pull" mode. The service described in the following example timetables can <br />be operated with only three trainsets, provided the preliminary running time estimates prove <br />reasonably accurate. As there has not yet been a demand forecast, it is not possible to say <br />precisely what train lengths should be, but given the forecasts initially generated for the MnDOT <br />study, it is assumed that all trains will consist of a locomotive and three cars (two coaches, and a <br />cab car). This suggests a fleet of about seven coaches, four cab cars, and four locomotives (these <br />figures include spares). This fleet size should be considered only an example until demand <br />forecasts have been prepared, and associated schedule refinements written. At that time, a more <br />accurate estimate of the number of coaches, cab cars and locomotives required for the service <br />will be prepared. <br /> <br />The reduced weekend and holiday service can be operated with a single trainset. <br /> <br />5. Example Timetables <br /> <br />Based on the assumptions and discussion above, the following timetables are presented as an <br /> <br /> <br />