The Push to Electrify North America’s Railroads
From faster trips to lower emissions, electrified trains are proving their worth. Is it time for Minnesota to rethink its approach to rail?
Category: Railroads
2024: A Personal Transportation Year in Review
From daily commutes to cross-country flights, Alicia Valenti tracked every mile she traveled in 2024 and shares her year in review.
Passenger Rail in Minnesota and the Case for Thinking Smaller
Bombastic proposals for country-wide high-speed rail gain a lot of traction online, but it’s more pressing to focus on what’s lacking: robust local networks.
Security Presence, Economy Fares Will Enhance Statewide Rail
The upcoming Northern Lights Express from Minneapolis to Duluth should embrace rail’s strongest aspects, from reliability, to security, to unique branding.
Is the Amtrak Borealis Train Really a Flop?
A deep dive into how Borealis stacks up against the competition refutes a Twin Cities Business claim that the new train to Chicago is underperforming.
A Trip on the Inaugural Borealis Train
The first Borealis Amtrak train out of St. Paul included microwaved food, press conferences, tornado warnings and lots of praise from politicians.
From the Midwest to Nigeria: An Unlikely Rail Saga
The arrival of the Borealis line provides an opportunity to look back on a project that didn’t make it this far, but found a new home in Africa.
Rethinking I-94: Let’s Start With a Subway
Advocates are pushing for a much-needed transformation of I-94 into an at-grade boulevard. But with the trench already there, why not install below-ground rail?
Stories From Those Aboard the Borealis
Let’s chat with some of the people riding the Borealis on opening day to find out what this train means to them!
Re-imagining Commuter Rail in a Post-Pandemic World
Current transit expansion plans are strong, but light rail extensions and bus rapid transit cannot be the end-all be-all of our ambitions.