Obscure and Miscl. Trivia.

[NP Eddie]

Dave, Rob, and All:

I thought I would start a new thread about obscure railroad items from the past.

This one is about the University of Minnesota's Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. That stadium served from the 1920's to 1982 when football games were moved to the Metrodome.

A switching line of the Milwaukee Road ran from the NP's Southeast Minneapolis Yard (where the interchange took place) to the MILW mainline between Minneapolis and St. Paul.  That line ran about one block from Memorial Stadium.

A Northern Pacific Superintendent's Notice banned switching across the two streets  on days that football games were held.

What was the reason for the notice?

Ed Burns

NP-BN-BNSF from Minneapolis.

 

 

[daveklepper]

I would guess public relations, that they did not wish to interrupt a march of the cheerleaders and bands to the stadium and/or to delay the fans driving to the stadium.

[NP Eddie]

Dave:

You have it!!!  Before I started on the Northern Pacific, a MILW freight transfer move derailed and blocked both streets (University and Washington) that ran parallel to the stadium. I don't know when that was, but traffic was backed up and no more switching was permitted near the stadium.

Next question to you.

Ed Burns

[aricat]

I have some memories of this line from the 1960's and 1970's. I remember that Baldwin switchers ruled the line for many years. I remember Baldwin S-12's and AS-616's  working this line. The switching was frequently done at night. Both Washington Avenue and University Avenue carried large amounts of traffic and could clog the streets around the University. The Baldwin AS-616's did pull a long string of cars and it could be a long wait at the grade crossing on University Avenue. You could sometimes see switch jobs working when the line crossed I-94 from the freeway. The Milwaukee also operated a small yard south of Franklin Avenue usually to store freight cars.

[wjstix]

It wasn't done when I was there (Class of 1982) but for many years game days used to involve a parade along 'fraternity row' heading towards the stadium. Lots of people, I imagine blocking the streets would be one concern, not running over people would be another.

BTW Memorial Stadium was entirely built with donated funds.

p.s. the new light rail line running past the new (TCF) Stadium will open June of this year, on the 60th anniversary of the last run of the old Twin City Rapid Transit streetcar system.