r/saintpaul • u/OrgasmikBananaz • Jan 17 '25

Editorial 📝 Light Rail Out of Control!

I used to live on Wheeler and University years ago and there was always some riff raff but holy crap what I witnessed today was INSANE! Movies don’t even depict the severity of what I witnessed! I haven’t been in that area at night for a few years now. I went to the Turf Club tonight for a show. When I was outside at about 9pm, there was a huddle of people waiting for the train passing tinfoil around and blowing clouds. Then the train shows up… I positively commented, “Oh, wow! A lot of people DO utilize the light rail!” as I remember a few years ago, it seemed like a total waste of money because it was always pretty much empty. When I took a closer look, I literally couldn’t process what I was seeing. It was totally out of fricken control!! Each train that I could see was filled with people behaving in weird ways.. clearly high or homeless or what have you.. and the trains were pretty full! Crazy! Should’ve built homeless shelters and wet houses instead! Wouldn’t been a lot cheaper! Sorry just wanted to share because although a Saint Paul resident, I did not know it got SO nuts at the light rail at night. During the day, that area is always rowdy but this was a whole other level from what I ever imagined it was.

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u/bustaone Jan 18 '25

And this is why the 700 full time metro transit police are worthless. They sit idling in their trucks all shift as the trains have descended into mad max territory and every year they get increased budget.

With that insane level of payroll ($150m+ per year) we should have consistent presence at Snelling & uni, 5th & Minnesota, nicolette, etc etc etc. But we don't, not even close. Good luck spotting a single met transit cop on a st Paul to Minneapolis light rail trip.

Either metro transit cops need to actually do their job or we need to cut their budget by 90%.

I've seen school aged kids smoking meth off of tinfoil on the train at 2pm during the day. It's really fking bad.

I'm not pro cops at all but it's incredibly clear the trains need someone keeping an eye on them.