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<br />minute intervals during the evening peak commute period, 4:40 PM and 6:40 PM. Two <br />of the peak period, peak direction trains run through to St., Cloud/Rice, and three run to a . <br />"short" terminus at Elk River or Anoka/Ramsey. In addition, Concept B provides for: <br /> <br />· Operation of two southbound morning trips from St. Cloud to Minneapolis, <br />arriving at peak commute times, and two northbound evening trips from <br />Minneapolis to St. Cloud, departing at peak commute times, and <br /> <br />· Operation of one through peak period trip between Minneapolis and St. Cloud in <br />the "reverse peak" direction. This feature makes possible an arrival at St. Cloud <br />during typical work start hours, and a departure from St. Cloud during the evening <br />peak commute time. <br /> <br />Three round-trips between Minneapolis and St. Cloud/Rice are included on weekends and <br />holidays. Evening service, primarily on Fridays and Saturdays, for various events, such <br />as Twins, Vikings, or Gopher games, are also desirable. While such service is not <br />directly addressed in the concept schedules, it is assumed that extra trains will be <br />operated for special events and an allowance has been made for them in the operating <br />cost estimates. <br /> <br />Equipment Concept <br /> <br />There are alternative approaches to rolling stock for the corridor, but to permit the <br />analysis to proceed at this stage, it has been assumed that the kind of equipment typically . <br />used in "New Start" commuter rail operations will be used. This will consist of bi-Ievel <br />coaches, operating with locomotives in "push-pull" mode. Two kinds of coaches will be <br />required --, "cab coaches," with a locomotive cab at one end to permit push-pull <br />operation, and straight coaches or "trailers". Depending on seat layout, typical seating <br />capacity ranges from 130 to 135 seats. <br /> <br />Four trainsets would be required for this service. The initial estimate is that each would <br />consist of a locomotive, two trailer coaches and one cab coach. Total requirements for <br />the four sets would be four locomotives, eight coaches and four cab coaches, to which <br />would be added one spare of each, for an overall Concept B requirement of: five <br />locomotives, nine coaches and five cab coaches. <br /> <br />At this stage in the analysis, the demand forecast and the train-by-train capacity have not <br />been balanced. This will be completed as both ridership and operations are refined and <br />may affect capital and operating costs. <br /> <br />The reduced weekend and holiday service can be operated with a single trainset. <br /> <br />A maintenance facility for this equipment could be located at either Elk River or the St. <br />CloudlRice end of the line. An overnight layover facility would be required at the <br />alternate location. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Draft Commuter Technical Feasibility Study <br />December 1998 <br /> <br />2-2 <br />Commuter Rail System <br />