First Northstar Locomotive Comes Off Production Line

Northstar Commuter Rail achieved another milestone recently when the first locomotive rolled off the production line. Representatives from the Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA) and Northstar project staff traveled to Boise, Idaho to take an inaugural ride on the completed locomotive and to tour Motive Power Inc. facilities, where Northstar’s four other locomotives are in various stages of production.

“Northstar Commuter Rail has been a vision for 20 years,” said Dan Erhart, Anoka County commissioner and chair of the NCDA. “Seeing this first locomotive completed is remarkable and offers one of the first tangible results of all the hard work poured into this project by its many supporters.”

Anoka County Commissioners Dan Erhart (left), NCDA chair, and Dennis Berg (right), NCDA member, inspect the first Northstar locomotive after it comes off the line in Boise.

Northstar has ordered a total of five remanufactured locomotives that will provide service beginning in late 2009. Delivery of the locomotives to the vehicle maintenance facility in Big Lake will begin this fall.

Design For Northstar Locomotives Unveiled

Metro Transit recently unveiled the graphic look of Northstar Commuter Rail trains.

“Seeing the graphic design of the locomotives brings a whole new reality to Northstar,” said Dan Erhart, chair of the Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA). “After a decade of hard work and collaboration among so many Minnesotans, it’s exciting to be at this point

View the full design HERE

The locomotive design features interlocking arcs of color (red, yellow and white) on a blue background, leading to a bold yellow star. The design reflects the history and image of Northstar, while also connecting the commuter rail project with Metro Transit – the entity responsible for Northstar’s operations when it begins service in late 2009.

“The use of color is reminiscent of Hiawatha Light Rail trains while keeping the ‘Northstar’ icon that has been associated with the project during its 10 years of development,” said Metro Transit General Manager Brian Lamb.

Sneak peek of the Northstar vehicle maintenance facility in Big Lake

Below are artist renderings of the Northstar vehicle maintenance facility. Ground was broken at the future site of the facility on Thursday, September 6. The facility is a few hundred yards east from the future site of Northstar's Big Lake Station at County Road 43 and U.S. Highway 10.

This is a view of the facility from the southwest.

Northstar Groundbreaking in Big Lake Postponed

The Northstar Commuter Rail groundbreaking for the vehicle maintenance facility in Big Lake has been postponed until Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007.

The event was to take place this afternoon to mark the next phase of Northstar construction and the Northstar Corridor Development Authority’s (NCDA) 10-year anniversary. However, the NCDA decided to postpone it in response to Wednesday evening’s tragic collapse of the 35W bridge in downtown Minneapolis.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Northstar Commuter Rail is seeking Expressions of Interest for the supply of used passenger locomotives. Northstar seeks to purchase six passenger locomotives in mid-2007 with intent to refurbish for service starting in mid-2008. All locomotives must be same model, comply with applicable government regulations, be 3,000 hp minimum, have independent head end power generators, and be manufactured after 1985 or undergone major rebuild in past 10 years. Interested parties should respond to:

Richard M. Rovang
Deputy Director, Design and Construction
Northstar Project Office
155 Fifth Avenue So., Suite 755
Minneapolis, MN 55401

Please provide Expressions of Interest by close of business November 30, 2006.

Read the full Request for Expressions of Interest here - http://www.mn-getonboard.org/expressionsofinterest.pdf

Project Informational Meeting

The Northstar Corridor Rail Project and Associated General Contractors of Minnesota will host a free informational meeting for general and specialty contractors interested in three upcoming contract projects:

• Construction of a four-block extension of the Hiawatha light-rail transit line in downtown Minneapolis and a multi-modal transit station at the intersection of the Hiawatha line and Northstar commuter rail line.
• Construction of four stations along the Northstar commuter rail line. Station sites are located in Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, and Coon Rapids.
• Construction of a vehicle maintenance facility.

Governor signs bonding bill that authorizes state funding of construction for Northstar Commuter Rail

On Thursday, June 1, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the 2006 bonding bill, which includes $60 million in bonding authority for the state’s first commuter rail line. A large crowd of elected officials and Northstar Commuter Rail supporters attended the event at the site of the future Northstar Elk River station.

Northstar is committed to protecting the environment during development

Recent media reports have highlighted efforts that will be taken to protect Blanding’s turtles during development of Northstar Commuter Rail.

The Northstar Corridor Development Authority is committed to taking special care to keep the turtles out of harm’s way and minimize any affect Northstar development may have on the environment.

A federally-required Environmental Assessment (EA) found that Northstar’s construction may cause only one significant environmental impact: removal of two acres of wetlands that could potentially put the Blanding’s turtle at risk. While the report found that the turtles’ nesting grounds would not be directly disturbed by track improvements for Northstar, it highlighted the concern because the turtles travel between wetlands and may come in contact with construction zones.

Read the Star Tribune article here: http://www.startribune.com/462/story/317392.html