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Rupa Shenoy
ST. PAUL, Minn.

First test of light-rail cars on Central Corridor

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First light rail vehicle on the Green Line
The first light-rail car to roll down the tracks in front of the MPR studios in St Paul barely made a sound. The car was towed from Minneapolis to St. Paul as part of a clearance test on Sunday, April 28 2013. The Central Corridor light-rail line connects St. Paul and Minneapolis and is the largest public works project in Minnesota history.
(MPR photo/Rupa Shenoy)

Metro Transit said the first test of a light-rail car on the new Green Line went off without a hitch Sunday. The test confirmed light-rail cars won't touch the poles that will hold the overhead power lines.

The light-rail car was towed down the Green line at the pace of a brisk walk. Rail service between St. Paul and Minneapolis is scheduled to start in 2014.

Downtown St. Paul resident Deanna Krull and her mother, visiting from Iowa, spotted the rail car as they stepped out of breakfast at a nearby diner.

"It's just a surprise that we're here. I wanted to show Mom the light rail station and they started to come through. It's very exciting."

The Central Corridor project is considered the largest and most complex public-works project in state history. Overall construction of the project is now 92 percent complete.

The light-rail car will be towed back to Minneapolis on Wednesday. It is being towed because the electrical system for the line still needs to be finished.

Gallery
1 of 2
First light rail vehicle on the Green Line
The first light-rail car to roll down the tracks in front of the MPR studios in St Paul barely made a sound. The car was towed from Minneapolis to St. Paul as part of a clearance test on Sunday, April 28 2013. The Central Corridor light-rail line connects St. Paul and Minneapolis and is the largest public works project in Minnesota history.
(MPR photo/Rupa Shenoy)
2 of 2
First light rail vehicle on the Green Line
The first light rail vehicle is pulled along the the Green Line (Central Corridor LRT) to verify clearance on April 28, 2013. A railcar mover that resembles a semitrailer cab is towing the the light rail vehicle at walking speed on the tracks from Minneapolis to the new operations and maintenance facility in St. Paul.
(Courtesy of Central Corridor LRT project)