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Northstar Commuter Rail Facts

Length: 40 miles

Cost: $317 million

Stations: Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Fridley, and Minneapolis, with park-and-ride facilities at each suburban station.

Rolling Stock:

• Five 3,600 horsepower locomotives
• 18 cars – each with seating for 140 passengers
• Each car equipped with wheel chair lift, ADA accessible restroom, bike racks and several tables with 110 volt outlets for computer use

Service: Five trips from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis in the morning and five return trips in the afternoon on weekdays, plus one reverse trip in the AM and PM. Three round trips on Saturdays and Sundays.

Speed: Top speed of 79 MPH

Travel time: 50 minutes from Big Lake to downtown

Fares: $3.25 to $7 each way depending on the distance traveled (lower fares on weekends)

Ridership: 3,400 projected in 2010 and 5,900 by 2030