I recently contacted my cousin Paul
for an interview about his experience riding the Northstar Commuter Train,
because I knew it was not going to be a cut-and-dry informational interview
about how the train works. When I first heard about the "Train Group"
I thought my cousin was a part of a group of train enthusiasts, but after
gaining more insight from other family members in the know, my interest grew as
I learned he was actually part of a commuter social group. This kind of
activity is not completely unheard of, in December the Star Tribune ran an
article about a Northstar Commuter Train cookie exchange group, which was a
lighthearted piece that covered the same subject matter, but there is something
deeper that I hope to uncover in my own article.
Paul and his family are residents
of Monticello, he has worked downtown Minneapolis for seven years and since
starting that job has been a regular metro transit commuter. For four years
Paul drove 30 miles to the park-and-ride in Maple Grove and then took the
express bus into Minneapolis. Rising gas prices prompted Paul to begin looking
for a different commute. His car gets about 30 miles to the gallon so during
Paul’s round trip each day he was using two gallons of gas and ten gallons in a
week which was more than he wanted. Paul had heard about the Northstar line and
figured why not give it a try? The new route had him drive eight to nine miles
to the Elk River station and catch the train. Paul’s employer covered $3 of the
$5.50 fare, so he was spending $2.50 per trip and $5 a day which was definitely
cheaper than two gallons of gas, he easily decided to make the switch.
As a commuter on the park and ride
for four years, Paul never felt like he had made a connection with anyone who
took the same bus that he did every day. Everyone seemed to keep to themselves,
reading books, the newspaper, checking their phone, or working on their laptop.
Even though they were all in the same vehicle, going to the same destination,
and on the same schedule every day, they seemed to be in a realm of transition
not interested in any social aspect or gaining any more acquaintances, just
waiting to arrive at their destination. It didn't happen immediately, but the train
turned out to be an entirely different experience for my cousin.
Paul had been riding the Northstar
for a couple of months and finding it to be a similar experience to the bus, a
kind of moving waiting room, but then one morning something unexpected
happened. On the station platform he ran into a friend of his from high school
who invited him to sit with her and some of her friends on the commute; that is
when Paul finally found what he had been looking for. He joined the group that morning
and now is full-time member.
They are a group of people who were
interested in spending their commute in a social aspect that is outside their
usual routine and gives them an opportunity to actually enjoy the commute. The
current size of the entire group is about 20 people, but some have never met
each other because everyone has different schedules. Based on what time you get
on the train dictates who you end up sitting and chatting with during the
commute. The usual and ideal size of the group per trip is eight because they
can get eight seats together and easily be a part of the same conversation. If
the group ends up larger they have been known to adjust and in many cases still
a give hard time to others who are sitting in another part of the car.
As far as membership goes there is
no initiation; it’s open to anyone who is looking for people to talk to. Paul
says, "Anyone can join as long as they are willing to sit with us and put
up with our antics." Besides riding the train together there are also
social gatherings put together outside of the commute. These events give them
more time to spend together and an opportunity to meet each other’s families. This
helps put faces and personalities to names after everything they may have heard
about these people prior to the event. Every year around Halloween they get
together for a hayride and bonfire at Bunker Hills; throughout the year there
are brunches at each other’s houses; and impromptu happy hours in either
downtown Minneapolis or in Elk River. Recently the group enjoyed a boat trip
that took the group from Hastings to Red Wing for an afternoon because a
conductor on the train happens to own a large boat. Yes, you read that right
conductors are even members of the group!
When Paul began taking the
Northstar line it was a decision that was based on economics, but now it is the
social aspect that is keeping him there. The reality of the situation is that
people come and go from this group due to job transitions and other
circumstances, but they have made lasting friendships and the idea of having
this group as a permanent connection in their lives for the long run is
something I am sure none of them ever expected the first time they got on the
rails. For them the journey has always been the destination and the Northstar
Line is a perfect fit.
As had mentioned above here is the link to the Star Tribune article about the Northstar cookie exchange:
Do you think this kind of social and interactive culture could be bred in any other from of public transportation or is it unique to the Northstar Commuter Train?
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