Rochester Mn study shows positive reasons for highspeed rail to Rochester.

Trains Magazine Passenger
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From the LaCrosse Tribune and the Rochester Postbulletin:

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=419062

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_f8030a46-af0b-11de-aec0-001cc4c03286.html

Quick overview: The study commisioned by Rochester officials found that a route to thier city would carry more riders and provide more benefits. One of the ways they suggest to go is via the current DME route or maybe a new route following Interstate 90.

My opinion/thoughts, does Rochester even have a clue?? First, they try to kill the rebuild of the DME through town, but then out the other end they decide that it would be great to have passenger rail to service their major employer. Man, they want their cake! when it suits them, considering that the vibrations from coal trains would interfere with equipment what would a passenger train do?

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True high speed rail (200+mph) is cool to Yuppified communities, but low speed coal trains are, well, a drag! [%-)]

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Is it possible that this is a red herring in a further attempt to obstruct the PRB extension project?

As far as vibration issues go, I would imagine that a lightweight, high speed trainset would not cause as much seismic vibration as a coal drag weighing many thousands of tons, but I also suspect that there are engineering solutions to the problem…

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You’re right. They DON’T have a clue. None whatsoever.

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I’m sure Rochester has a clue. As is implied, the decisions for coal and HSR are more subjective for local impacts, real or imagined, than based on any more global and objective consideration.

I have written before that I thought the Rochester alternative deserved at least some of the Chicago-Twin Cities service. Lutherans would love a stop at Northfield. The biggest problem I see is getting into Saint Paul, the State capitol, on a relatively fast route when the cost may be disproportionate for only a modest level of service. Even so, the CP and UP Spine Line are no racetrack.

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I could see some sort of connecting commuter service between Winona/Minnesota City and Rochester on the DME route. Anything beyond that is just pipe dreams.

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Any direct route between Rochester Minnesota and the Twin Cities will be both an engineering and cost nightmare. It should not be built, ever.The Bluebird, CGW’s train between the two was discontinued before World War II I think. It ran over a low speed line from Red Wing to Rochester. A connection to Winona is the only thing that makes sense.