The vibes of light-rail transit
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Now that the legislative session is over and light-rail into St. Paul is to be a reality, the hard part -- making it work -- is next. The U, of course, is dead set against light-rail on Washington Avenue. Some businesses on University are worried about losing parking spaces, and even American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio is trying to get light rail's planned route down Cedar Avenue moved.
Why? It's worried about the impact of vibration and noise from the trains on its radio and broadcast studios a few feet away from the tracks.
To test the impact of vibrations, these folks today have set up shop...
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By
dropping watermelons off the roof
using this gizmo to pound the pavement and simulate the rumble of a train...
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... the vibrations can be measured in studios like this...
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... with a sensor on the floor. The readings are then sent back to the guys on the street.
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I haven't felt anything in the News Cut cubicle. But usually the only vibration I feel is when Chris Roberts is listening to local bands and tapping his foot in the cubicle next door.
