Well almost.
First come the rails.
The trains? That will take about two years on the new rails of Central Corridor.
The photo above, courtesy the Metropolitan Council documents the ‘join’ between two light rail routes.
Here’s how the agency news release describes the scene.
“Welder Duane Dopp of Herzog Contracting Corp. waves to a passing Hiawatha LRT train shortly before the weld occurred this afternoon on the flyover or train bridge built over Interstate 35W in Minneapolis between the Cedar Riverside and Metrodome LRT stations.”
It’s the section of track near downtown Minneapolis just east of the Metrodome where trains on the new Central Corridor between St. Paul and Minneapolis and trains on the existing Hiawatha line between Minneapolis and the Mall of America will come together.
Not at the same time, of course.
Here’s how Central Corridor project manager Mark Fuhrmann describes the significance of the join in a Met Council news release.
“This weld is our own version of the golden spike for the transcontinental railroad as it connects the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.”
And take a look at this! Who says welding isn’t fun?