Beyond The End Of The Line...Riding The Light Rail Past Target Field Toward North Minneapolis

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

Weekend before last, I was with my 13-year-old son on the light rail and we experienced an accidental taste of what it would be like if the train continued beyond Target Field and ran into North Minneapolis...

Normally, an accident with a train is a very bad thing, but this was just a small funny accident. We were getting our gear together--winter clothing, backpacks, newspapers, etc.--and the train operator didn't realize we were still on board. Maybe we forgot the doors don't open automatically in extremely cold weather and didn't quite realize we were all the way to Target Field. In any case, the train continued past the last stop but we were still aboard!
 The train operator was a little embarrassed. But my son Alex thought it was cool. I pulled out my camera and took his picture so we could record the day we road the light rail past Target Field northbound.

Imagine that day, if we ever get there. Imagine getting on the train at Mall of America and riding all the way to Penn and West Broadway. Working people in North Minneapolis will be able to get easy access to jobs. You won't have to wait outside at a bus stop so long, or hit so many stops before reaching your distant destination.

Our neighborhood deserves good things. We must all make sure the gravy train doesn't go around North Minneapolis.