MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Many riders who depend on the Northstar Commuter Rail are frustrated.
In four of the past five weekdays, some routes have had delays of 20 minutes or more, causing many passengers to arrive late to work or school. [...]
It highlights one of the weaknesses of the Northstar system.
The tracks are not owned by Metro Transit. They’re owned by BNSF, and used 90 percent of the time for freight.
Metro Transit spokesperson Drew Kerr said Northstar trains don’t have much chance to pass if another train is blocking the track.
“So as freight rail traffic is disrupted that affects Northstar,” he said. “We’ve got trains that are backed up, we need to get around. These are the kind of issues that we’re dealing with.”
