Crowd control getting on rail

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MNSpaniel

MNSpaniel

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This is my first experience using the light rail at the stadium sight. I think they need to do a little better with crowd control. Especially on days with expected big crowds. There was no manageable crowd control with getting on the train. At Viking and Twin's games they have guide rails and ropes to manage the flow. I thought there were going to be a couple fights break out over groups of people cutting in line.
 

I think with parking and other things they're just not used to / prepared to deal with serious sold out type situations.
 

We are normally pretty calm people so we handled it but there were a lot of tempers flaring when a mass of people would just cut in and everyone else followed them while folks who had waited a half hour were left behind.
 

I just refuse to stand in line for a half-hour (maybe much more) to get on a light rail car, which is likely stuffed to the gills. I can still walk a decent distance in a half hour.
 



A large crowd, many of whom probably hadn't ridden the light rail before, plus they weren't in a very good mood. Not a great combination. I usually stay to hear the band after the game, the line is a lot shorter then. I'd rather take light rail than drive to the game.
 

MplsGopher said:
I just refuse to stand in line for a half-hour (maybe much more) to get on a light rail car, which is likely stuffed to the gills. I can still walk a decent distance in a half hour.
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MNSpaniel said:
This is my first experience using the light rail at the stadium sight. I think they need to do a little better with crowd control. Especially on days with expected big crowds. There was no manageable crowd control with getting on the train. At Viking and Twin's games they have guide rails and ropes to manage the flow. I thought there were going to be a couple fights break out over groups of people cutting in line.
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I hit a bar or tailgate for that time instead of standing in line. I never try to get on right after the game. I can usually step right on a half hour after the game ends. Exiting a ramp right after and getting through traffic to any freeway is also a good half hour.

As for Twins/Vikes, they run both Green and Blue lines so there is a need to have two boarding locations, which takes additional staff and control. Each of those stops has more open/plaza areas to hold and route riders as well.
 

I have taken the Light rail probably 20-25 times, never had any issues at all until Saturday. The weather was a huge factor, as one of the westbound Green Lines hit a car downtown Mpls causing huge bottle necks in both directions. After waiting 20 minutes to get on a train, we were stuck at the West Bank station for another 20-25 minutes before we got to US Bank.

Icy sidewalks, sold out stadium, game getting down well after dark made things a real mess.
 

Ope3 said:
I have taken the Light rail probably 20-25 times, never had any issues at all until Saturday. The weather was a huge factor, as one of the westbound Green Lines hit a car downtown Mpls causing huge bottle necks in both directions. After waiting 20 minutes to get on a train, we were stuck at the West Bank station for another 20-25 minutes before we got to US Bank.

Icy sidewalks, sold out stadium, game getting down well after dark made things a real mess.
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I went out for few too many drinks after game so missed crowd, but was still impacted by long wait for green line, I think I was on platform for at least ~1/2 hour. Tweeted out Metro transit and which they apologized for delay and mentioned above still causing problems. I wish they had just had that listed on their time clock things.

But usually light rail works well for me. I have a go card so can skip line buying ticket which is huge part of bottle neck
 



I look forward to the light rail reaching to the northern lands one day so I can take that.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I look forward to the light rail reaching to the northern lands one day so I can take that.
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Any remaining faith in humanity that you have will dissipate while waiting for a train at 6 in the morning.
 


Guys the future is for everyone to be riding in larger versions of those quad-roter drones that the kids play with.

“Where we’re going ... we don’t need .. ‘roads’”
 



Ski U Master said:
The best bet is to walk up the line to the next station so you can catch the train before it arrives at TCF.
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So your catching the station that is going toward the stadium not the one going to the Viking stadium? I know on the way back to the Viking stadium the door opened at the next station but it was too full for anyone to get on.
 


MNSpaniel said:
So your catching the station that is going toward the stadium not the one going to the Viking stadium? I know on the way back to the Viking stadium the door opened at the next station but it was too full for anyone to get on.
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Depends where you're going. If you're headed toward downtown Mpls, go to Prospect Park station. If you're headed toward St. Paul, go to East Bank station.
 

Ski U Master said:
Depends where you're going. If you're headed toward downtown Mpls, go to Prospect Park station. If you're headed toward St. Paul, go to East Bank station.
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So you are saying in your previous reply that the fastest way to go west is to catch a train going east and that train will end up returning west? It kind of makes sense....
 

MNSpaniel said:
So you are saying in your previous reply that the fastest way to go west is to catch a train going east and that train will end up returning west? It kind of makes sense....
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Just walk to the stop that's before where the big crowd is. Skip the queue at the stadium.
 


Hotdish said:
Any remaining faith in humanity that you have will dissipate while waiting for a train at 6 in the morning.
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Ha, you are correct. Mine is pretty much long gone...although there Is a non-insignificant pecentage of decent and good still out there.

Sounds like the program getting more popular wasn’t adequately planned for, or may be an impediment going forward. Traffic, etc is why going anywhere in SoCal is a major consideration...
 

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