139-684: Metropolitan Area Express (usually abbreviated MAX) may refer to: MAX Light Rail , a light rail system in Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area Express (Las Vegas) , a defunct bus rapid transit line in Las Vegas, Nevada Metro Area Express , a bus rapid transit line in Kansas City, Missouri Metro Area Express (Perth) , a cancelled light rail system in Perth, Western Australia Topics referred to by
278-582: A Czech design, and the first ten – which is all cars purchased before 2009 – were built in the Czech Republic and shipped to the United States complete. Streetcars added to the fleet after the first ten were built in the U.S. by United Streetcar , to basically the same design. All have a low-floor center section between the trucks , and at one door on each side they are equipped with a MAX-like bridge plate —a short ramp that extends from
417-596: A first-come, first-served basis. TriMet contracts some keycard access to BikeLink and uses its Hop Fastpass on others. Other lockers may be rented by users. Bicycle racks are the most common form of bicycle parking. As of 2020 , TriMet operates five models of light rail vehicles designated as "Type 1" through "Type 5", of which two are successive upgrades of the same model. The MAX system's 145 cars vary in length, from 88 feet (26.8 m) to 95 feet (29.0 m), and are used interchangeably on every line. Downtown Portland's 200-foot (61 m) downtown blocks allow
556-406: A "Local Improvement District" (special property tax assessed on properties near the line). Another source of funding for the streetcar is sponsorships of vehicles and stops, which in most cases have a minimum duration of one year, in contrast to the shorter-term advertising found on TriMet buses and MAX. Sponsoring organizations can have their name placed on the side of the vehicle, stop shelter or in
695-646: A 20-minute frequency in the evening and on Sundays. Every stop is fitted with an electronic reader board giving real-time arrival information to waiting passengers, using the NextBus vehicle tracking system . This was first brought into use on March 25, 2002. As on TriMet's MAX line, the streetcar's fare system is a proof-of-payment (or "honor") system, with random inspections of passengers' fares, which minimizes wait times at stops by allowing boarding to take place simultaneously through all vehicle doorways. Streetcar operators do not collect or monitor fares. Although
834-612: A TriMet study of European systems. The low-floor cars, which TriMet and Siemens jointly developed, entered service in August 1997. MAX achieved full accessibility in April 1999. Ticket vending machines provide information and instructions in audio, braille , and raised lettering. Station platforms also have signs with braille and raised lettering to indicate which lines provide service and where they go. The edge of platforms have tactile paving to warn riders from standing too close to
973-613: A desire by PS, United Streetcar and others to increase further the U.S. content of streetcars built by United Streetcar, led to discussions between Rockwell Automation and the various interested parties in Portland on the possibility and feasibility of Rockwell designing a control system for the United Streetcar design. In April 2010, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved a $ 2.4-million grant, to be matched by $ 600,000 in local money, to fund
1112-483: A federal grant in 2013 enabled TriMet to add more at other locations. Concessionaires sometimes open coffee shops at certain stations. A majority of MAX stations are at street level, correlating to the system's predominant alignment. Sunset Transit Center , Southeast Bybee Boulevard , and stations along the Banfield Freeway are below street level. One station, Lents Town Center/Southeast Foster Road ,
1251-546: A financing plan suspended the project for several years but planning resumed in 1988 and studies were completed in 1991. Staunch lobbying by local and state officials led by Hillsboro Mayor Shirley Huffman forced an extension of the line further west to downtown Hillsboro in 1993. Construction of the 20-station, 18-mile (29 km) line began that August with the excavation of the Robertson Tunnel . The Westside MAX opened in two stages following delays in tunneling:
1390-542: A high degree of spare parts compatibility with the existing fleet. They arrived in Portland in January 2007, and after a period of street testing, entered service in late May 2007. The next delivery, on May 15, 2009, was effectively another Škoda 10T, but built in the United States under license, rather than by Škoda itself. It entered service in September 2012. Under a 2005 federal transportation bill, $ 4 million
1529-403: A lighter and shallower construction (the rail bed is only 1 foot or 30.5 centimeters deep), and the two systems share the same overhead line voltage , 750 V DC . Because of this, it is technically possible for a Portland 10T or 12-Trio streetcar to run on MAX tracks, and indeed originally this was planned to take place if a streetcar needed a particular type of maintenance work that was beyond
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#17327803133391668-657: A locally preferred alternative in April 2019, and the FTA announced $ 99.99 million for the project through the Capital Investment Grants program in May 2020. Final design was completed by engineering firm Parametrix in early 2021. The design includes two new bridges north of Gateway Transit Center to accommodate the second track and a new MAX platform called " Gateway North ". TriMet broke ground on September 28, 2021. From April 2–9, 2022, Red Line service
1807-643: A major goal of the project. The Portland Streetcar is the first new streetcar system in the United States since World War II . Since September 2012, the Portland Streetcar system has three services, which share a section along 10th and 11th Avenues in downtown, through the West End. As of mid-2015, the two-line streetcar system measures 7.2 miles (11.6 km), measured in one direction only – not round-trip lengths – and counting only once
1946-623: A more streamlined design and more seating, and are lighter and more energy-efficient than the previous models. The Type 4 cars were the first in the MAX network to use LED-type destination signs . The second series of S70 cars, TriMet's Type 5 vehicles, were procured for the Portland–Milwaukie light rail project. TriMet placed an order for the Type 5 cars with Siemens in 2012 and delivery commenced in 2014. These vehicles include some improvements over
2085-506: A one-seat option from 10 additional stations to Portland International Airport. Additionally, TriMet had announced it would procure up to eight new light rail vehicles to accommodate the improvements, but later purchased 30 new trains overall; four were part of A Better Red , while the remaining 26 were replacements for the original MAX fleet, which are gradually being retired. Preliminary design work began in February 2018. TriMet adopted
2224-495: A report published in 2019, TriMet provides a total of 12,614 park-and-ride spaces, of which 10,219 directly serve 25 MAX stations. The agency's parking facilities are either surface lots or multi-level garages , and they are free to use. TriMet allows vehicles to park at most stalls overnight as long as they do not exceed 24 hours. At some locations, TriMet negotiates with nearby establishments for additional parking spaces. Westside MAX stations contain 3,643 parking spaces,
2363-657: A result of Portland's short city blocks in downtown, which restrict trains to two-car consists. Like other North American light rail systems, MAX stations do not have faregates ; paid fare zones are delineated but remain accessible to anyone. In 2015, TriMet proposed installing turnstiles at some stations along the Portland–Milwaukie segment but never did so. Stations are typically equipped with trash cans, shelters, and ticket vending machines . Most stations have arrival information displays that show when trains arrive and other service information. These displays were first installed at I-205 and Portland Transit Mall stations, and
2502-674: A result, Portland businesses pushed for the construction of a new bridge further upstream that led to the southern end of the Portland Transit Mall. The locally preferred alignment was finalized in mid-2008; a new bridge would carry light rail across the Willamette River from the South Waterfront to just south of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). TriMet designed this bridge, which
2641-666: A seventh car (026) was purchased from United Streetcar and was delivered on November 21, 2014. On March 21, 2018, Portland Streetcar announced an approval from city council to purchase two new Liberty Streetcars from Brookville Equipment Corporation . A third car was added to the order in December 2018. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, production of the cars was delayed, and by spring 2021 they were not expected to arrive until late 2022 or early 2023. An option for two additional vehicles also exists. The delivery of
2780-440: A single contact wire to minimize the amount of overhead wiring. To further minimize visual impact, ornamental street light poles, buildings, and bridge structures are used to support the wiring. Substations , spaced approximately every one mile (1.6 km) apart, convert the high-voltage public supply to the voltage power used by trains. The power system can bridge any one substation so that trains can continue to operate should
2919-605: A stop at a MAX station attached to the main passenger terminal of Portland International Airport. TriMet has built a total of six infill stations . Four were built on the original Eastside MAX alignment— Mall/Southwest 4th Avenue (1990), Mall/Southwest 5th Avenue (1990), Convention Center (1990), and Civic Drive (2010) —while two were built on the Portland Transit Mall—PSU South/Southwest 6th and College (2012) and PSU South/Southwest 5th and Jackson (2012). On March 1, 2020, TriMet permanently closed
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#17327803133393058-552: A streetcar system in 1990, in response to recommendations in a Central City Plan the council had adopted in 1988. The proposed network was originally referred to as the Central City Trolley and was envisioned as using faux-vintage streetcars like those of the Portland Vintage Trolley service. However, the name was later changed to Central City Streetcar, out of concern by project supporters that
3197-517: A substation or its supply go down. Approximately 70 percent of the MAX system uses automatic block signaling (ABS), which allows for relatively fast operating speeds—up to 55 miles per hour (89 km/h)—and short headways . For example, between Lloyd Center/Northeast 11th Avenue station and Gateway Transit Center along the Banfield Freeway, ABS can accommodate an operating headway of two minutes. Within these sections, automatic train stops (ATS) enforce speed limits and automatically apply
3336-429: A suit filed by TriMet, a circuit court upheld the project's continuation. The 17-station, 7.3-mile (11.7 km) Portland–Milwaukie segment and Orange Line service opened on September 12, 2015. The Orange Line, operating along the Portland Transit Mall's southbound segment, became the third service to serve this corridor. In October 2017, TriMet, citing system-wide delays caused by two single-track segments along
3475-528: A task force that helped determine several alternative options, including a busway and light rail. Local jurisdictions originally favored the busway alternative but support for light rail prevailed following the mode's inclusion in a 1977 environmental impact statement . The proposal became known as the Banfield light rail project, named for the Banfield Freeway , a segment of I-84 that part of
3614-598: A train serves within its designated termini , i.e. a train "route" or "service". MAX operates five lines, each assigned a color. TriMet adopted the use of colors to distinguish separately operated routes in 2000 and brought them into use on September 10, 2001, when it opened the Airport MAX extension. On that day, the service running between Hillsboro and Gresham became designated the Blue Line, while that running between downtown Portland and Portland International Airport
3753-592: A transfer to the region's commuter rail line, WES Commuter Rail , which operates between Beaverton and Wilsonville in Washington County. Within the Portland Transit Mall, trains connect with buses serving downtown Portland; bus stops take up transit mall blocks unoccupied by light rail platforms. MAX riders can transfer to the Portland Streetcar at points where MAX and streetcar lines intersect and to Amtrak via two stations near Portland Union Station . The Red Line operates as an airport rail link with
3892-771: A truing machine, which has been installed in the left bay of the North Yard. While streetcars can operate on the MAX light rail tracks, a MAX car would be too heavy to operate on the streetcar's tracks , too wide for portions of its right-of-way, and unable to pass through the tighter curves on the Portland Streetcar system. Streetcars are stored at the rail yard near the Portland Streetcar, Inc. headquarters (1516 NW Northrup Street). Storage tracks and facilities occupy three city blocks underneath an elevated section of Interstate 405 , between NW Overton and NW Lovejoy streets (north-to-south) and NW 16th and NW 15th streets (west-to-east). City of Portland planners began considering
4031-477: A week with headways of between 30 minutes off-peak and three minutes during rush hours . In 2019, MAX had an average daily ridership of 120,900, or 38.8 million annually. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , which impacted public transit use globally , annual ridership plummeted, with only 14.8 million riders recorded in 2021. MAX was among the first second-generation American light rail systems to be built, conceived from freeway revolts that took place in
4170-484: Is Metro's latest iteration, and it lists three funding scenarios that divide the region's proposals into three priority levels. The highest priority projects, which are referred to as "2027 Constrained", are proposals the region expects to have funding for by 2027. The "2040 Constrained" lists projects that fit within the region's planned budget through 2040, while the "2040 Strategic" are projects that may be built if additional funding becomes available. The 2018 RTP lists
4309-528: Is a streetcar system in Portland, Oregon , that opened in 2001 and serves areas surrounding downtown Portland . The 3.9-mile (6.3 km) NS Line runs from Northwest Portland to the South Waterfront via Downtown and the Pearl District . The Loop Service , which opened in September 2012 as the Central Loop (CL Line), runs from Downtown to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry via
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4448-437: Is a NS Line stop) before entering yard via Northrup. Portland Streetcar launched a new program in 2022 called Rider Ambassadors they are groups of streetcar personnel who help people onboard, give directions and connect people to resources, and help keep the riders safe. They ride the trains throughout the day and can be recognized by their purple vests As of 2024, the system's fleet included 19 cars. The streetcars are
4587-605: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages MAX Light Rail The Metropolitan Area Express ( MAX ) is a light rail system serving the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon . Owned and operated by TriMet , it consists of five lines connecting the six sections of Portland; the communities of Beaverton , Clackamas , Gresham , Hillsboro , Milwaukie , and Oak Grove ; and Portland International Airport to Portland City Center . Trains run seven days
4726-422: Is elevated. Washington Park is the system's only underground station and holds the distinction as North America's deepest transit station at 260 feet (79 m) below ground. Many MAX stations facilitate transfers to other modes of public transit. 11 stations are transit centers with connections to multiple local and intercity bus routes. Beaverton Transit Center is the only MAX-served transit center with
4865-547: Is estimated at $ 18,000 per surface-lot space and $ 52,000 per structured space. TriMet additionally offers four different bicycle parking options at its MAX stations, although not all options are available at every station. Bike and rides are secure, enclosed spaces that are accessible by keycard and are monitored 24 hours per day by security cameras ; as of 2020 they are available at eight stations. Electronic bicycle lockers , or eLockers, are secure lockers that may also be accessed by keycard and are made available on
5004-611: Is in session – and the daily-ridership figure averaged over a 12-month period through summer 2012, the last 12-month period before the second line opened, was 11,200. On September 1, 2012, TriMet discontinued the Free Rail Zone (better known by its pre-2010 name, Fareless Square ), which had previously allowed free service on the streetcar within Downtown and the Pearl District. A new streetcar-only fare of $ 1.00
5143-555: Is in use at one time. The extension cost $ 18.1 million, including the purchase of two additional streetcars, with the intent to allow streetcars to run every 10 minutes. In 2005 the Portland Streetcar project was awarded the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence gold medal. Another extension of 0.42 mi (0.68 km) south to the lower terminus of the Portland Aerial Tram at SW Gibbs Street, in
5282-544: Is many times larger, so streetcars were operated along the MAX tracks to the light-rail workshops at Ruby Junction (near the Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue station on the Blue Line) for maintenance work on their trucks a few times. However, because the streetcar has a limited top speed of about 40 mph (64 km/h) (compared with 55 mph or 89 km/h for MAX trains) and because of differences in
5421-538: Is one of three urban rail transit services operating in the Portland metropolitan area, the other two being the Portland Streetcar and WES Commuter Rail . MAX directly connects with them as well as with other transit services such as Amtrak , Frequent Express , and local and intercity buses . Trains operate with two-car consists due to downtown Portland's short city blocks . Vehicles and platforms are fully accessible , and fares are collected through
5560-442: The "Buy America" Act ( 49 U.S.C. § 5323j ). In February 2006, Škoda Transportation established an "exclusive technology transfer agreement" with Oregon Iron Works (OIW) to build streetcars meeting "Buy America" rules, and the two companies jointly prepared a detailed OIW submission when the city of Portland (owner of the Portland Streetcar system) issued a request for proposals in mid-2006 to build one new streetcar for
5699-567: The Hop Fastpass payment system. In the early 20th century, privately funded interurbans and streetcars gave Portland one of the largest urban rail systems in the American West , with lines that once extended as far as Vancouver, Washington to the north, Eugene to the south, Troutdale to the east, and Forest Grove to the west. Ben Holladay brought over Portland's first trolleys from San Francisco in 1872; operated by
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5838-496: The Portland State University (PSU) campus, north through the Pearl District , west to NW 23rd Avenue and then back to PSU on adjacent streets. Most of the $ 57 million used to build it came from local sources, and only $ 5 million came from the federal government . On March 11, 2005, a 0.6-mile (1 km) extension was placed into service at the line's southern end, from PSU to RiverPlace . This
5977-921: The Portland Street Railway Company , they were drawn by horses and mules . In 1890, the first electric streetcar opened in Albina while the first cable car began running along 5th Avenue; these marked the start of an era of major rail expansion. In 1892, the East Side Railway Company opened the first long-distance interurban service—a 16-mile (25.7 km) line running from Portland to Oregon City . The Portland Railway, Light and Power Company had taken over all local streetcars by 1906, and interurbans by 1908. In 1912, as Portland's population exceeded 250,000, transit ridership rose to 70 million passengers annually. Passenger rail services had started to decline by
6116-743: The Steel Bridge . On August 30, 2009, it was rerouted to terminate at the PSU Urban Center stations with the addition of light rail to the Portland Transit Mall . In September 2012, this was extended further south to the PSU South stations , which had not been built due to the construction of nearby transit-oriented development . The Yellow Line became interlined with the Orange Line in 2015; it now only operates
6255-799: The brakes should a train operator fail to do so. The remaining 30 percent of the system relies on traffic signals and line-of-sight operation. Speeds do not exceed 35 mph (56 km/h) in these sections. MAX consists of 94 stations, of which 48 are served by the Blue Line, 30 by the Green Line, 37 by the Red Line, 17 by the Orange Line, and 17 by the Yellow Line. Furthermore, 47 stations are served by at least two lines and eight stations are served by three lines. The system's central stations, where all MAX services interconnect, border
6394-425: The "Southwest Corridor" project which TriMet expects will be funded by 2027. TriMet has indicated that other extensions and improvements have been studied or discussed with Metro and cities in the region. These proposals include the following, with light rail and alternatives being considered: The MAX rail network is approximately 60 miles (97 km) long. It was built in a series of six projects starting with
6533-544: The 14-station, 1.8-mile (2.9 km) Portland Transit Mall on August 30, 2009, first served by the Yellow Line. The opening of the eight-station, 6.5-mile (10.5 km) I-205 MAX and Green Line service followed on September 12. The South Corridor project's second phase initially proposed the extension of MAX between downtown Portland and Milwaukie via the Hawthorne Bridge . Studies showed that this alignment would cause severe traffic bottlenecks in downtown. As
6672-417: The 15.1-mile (24.3 km) Banfield—now called Eastside—segment between downtown Portland and Gresham. Each successive project has either been an extension or a branch of an existing segment. TriMet has typically paired each project with the opening of a new line, often making the line and segment synonymous (e.g. "Airport MAX Red Line"). For MAX, a "line" refers to the physical railroad tracks and stations
6811-413: The 1920s with the rise of the automobile and suburban and freeway development. Portland's original streetcar lines had ceased operating by 1950, replaced by buses until 2001, when the modern Portland Streetcar opened in downtown Portland . Meanwhile, the region's last two interurban lines, which traveled to Oregon City and Bellrose (Southeast 136th Avenue), permanently closed in 1958. At
6950-656: The 1970s. Planning for the network's inaugural eastside segment, then referred to as the Banfield Light Rail Project , started in 1973 ahead of the cancelation of the Mount Hood Freeway . Construction began in 1982, and service commenced between downtown Portland and Gresham on September 5, 1986. The original 27-station, 15.1-mile (24 km) line has since been expanded to 94 stations and 59.7 miles (96.1 km) of track. The latest extension, from Portland to Milwaukie , opened in 2015. MAX
7089-514: The 1990s, the Port of Portland began exploring ways to alleviate worsening traffic congestion, including the possibility of introducing MAX service, which regional planners had not anticipated for at least another 20 years. In 1997, engineering firm Bechtel accelerated plans by submitting an unsolicited proposal to design and build an airport rail link in exchange for 120 acres (49 ha) of Port property. A public–private partnership between
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#17327803133397228-734: The Airport MAX and Portland Streetcar projects, since these projects were locally funded. The 10-station, 5.8-mile (9.3 km) extension from the Rose Quarter to the Expo Center opened on May 1, 2004, with its new service designated the Yellow Line . From 2004 to 2009, the Yellow Line ran from Expo Center station in North Portland to 11th Avenue in downtown Portland, following the Blue and Red lines' downtown alignment from
7367-575: The Airport MAX project. The system's 27 Type 3 vehicles, which the agency purchased as part of the Interstate MAX project and first brought into use in 2003, are the same model as the Type 2 vehicles but with technical upgrades and a new livery. Twenty-two Siemens S70 low-floor cars, which were designated Type 4, were purchased in conjunction with the I-205 MAX and Portland Transit Mall projects, and were first used in 2009. Type 4 cars have
7506-703: The Airport MAX, announced the MAX Red Line Improvements Project, later renamed "A Better Red". A Better Red sought double-tracking a 2,800-foot-long (850 m) section of track north of Gateway Transit Center and another 3,800-foot-long (1,200 m) section alongside Northeast Airport Way just before the airport terminal. To qualify the project for federal funding, TriMet included extending Red Line service farther west to Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport station in Hillsboro; this extension would use existing Westside MAX tracks and create
7645-451: The Banfield light rail project by a joint venture between Bombardier and La Brugeoise et Nivelles beginning in 1983. TriMet announced it would purchase seven additional vehicles that August, but a budget shortfall forced the agency to withdraw this proposal the following November. The cars are similar in design to Bombardier vehicles that had been used in Rio de Janeiro . Bombardier built
7784-487: The Brookville order began in late March 2023, with the arrival of the first car in Portland; the third and last car arrived in December 2023. Prototype car 015, uniquely fitted with the experimental Rockwell propulsion system, became unreliable within a few years of entering service in 2012, and by 2019 it had experienced a system failure that the city was unable to repair. The car was last used in service in 2019, and
7923-581: The Elmonica facility is adjacent to Elmonica/Southwest 170th Avenue station ; both are on the Blue Line. Ruby Junction began with one building that TriMet built as part of the original MAX project in the early 1980s; it had expanded to three multi-story buildings totaling 143,000 square feet (13,300 m ) occupying 17 acres (6.9 ha) by 2010, and to four buildings totalling 149,000 square feet (13,800 m ) occupying 23 acres (9.3 ha) by 2016. It contains 13 maintenance bays and its yard tracks have
8062-468: The Free Rail Zone. Rides within that area were free at all times. TriMet ended the Free Rail Zone on September 1, 2012. Passengers not already in possession of a valid fare when boarding are required to use their credit/debit card on the hop card readers on board each Streetcar. Portland Streetcar used to have ticket machines on board but have since been removed and replaced with machines outside
8201-617: The I-205 corridor due to an existing right-of-way along the I-205 Transitway , an unfinished mass transit component of the freeway that had been built to accommodate a busway. TriMet, however, prioritized the Westside MAX during its bid for federal matching funds and the I-205 plans were put on hold. In 1989, studies for both I-205 and Milwaukie proposals received funding from the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations under
8340-751: The Mall infill stations in an effort to speed up travel times in downtown Portland. The agency also temporarily closed Kings Hill/Southwest Salmon Street station for a trial period ending on March 1, 2021. Stations built as part of the Banfield Light Rail Project were originally fitted with electric wayside lifts to accommodate riders with mobility devices on the system's high-floor , first-generation vehicles. Each station had two lifts, one for each direction of travel. The lifts were installed on platforms rather than on trains to prevent malfunctions from delaying service. Increased use of
8479-599: The Morrison and Yamhill couplet, MAX travels in the left lanes. On the Portland Transit Mall (5th and 6th couplet), MAX shares dedicated lanes with buses; both vehicle types travel in the center or right lanes and stop at their respective curbside platforms on the right lane. Lanes may be separated by turtleback delineators or double-solid white lines, and marked with white diamonds or white "T"s. Outside of downtown Portland, MAX runs on street medians and viaducts, alongside freeways and freight lines, and underground. Where
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#17327803133398618-684: The OMSI terminus (mostly on a streetcar-only viaduct over the Union Pacific Railroad main line) and the route sections nearest to, and across, the Broadway Bridge. With the opening of the second line, the system now has 76 stops. The steepest grade on the system is 8.75% in the block of SW Harrison Street between 1st and 2nd avenues, which since 2015 has been on a section of track used by both routes. Streetcars are scheduled to arrive at 15-minute intervals at most times, with
8757-722: The Pearl District, the Broadway Bridge across Willamette River , the Lloyd District , and the Central Eastside Industrial District and added 3.3 miles (5.3 km) of route. In September 2015 the line was renamed as the Loop Service, with the A Loop traveling clockwise, and the B Loop traveling counterclockwise. The two-route system serves some 20,000 daily riders. As with the heavier-duty MAX Light Rail network which serves
8896-512: The Portland Streetcar tracks in June and was certified for service on September 21, 2012. It entered passenger service the following day, September 22, 2012, the opening day of the new eastside line ( CL Line ). Meanwhile, the city also purchased an additional five streetcars for the eastside expansion. A contract for these was let to United Streetcar in August 2009 and was originally for six cars. However, in light of Portland's dissatisfaction with
9035-401: The Portland Streetcar. In January 2007, OIW won a contract from Portland to build the prototype streetcar, to the Škoda design, and reported that it had established a new subsidiary, United Streetcar LLC , to perform the work. The United Streetcar prototype, number 015 in the Portland Streetcar fleet, was delivered on May 15, 2009, but did not enter service until 2012. The car is model 10T ,
9174-462: The Portland–Milwaukie segment had a 100-percent usage rate of its available spaces while the Westside MAX segment had 85 percent. The corridor with the lowest use of available parking spaces was the I-205 MAX at 30 percent; TriMet attributes this to factors such as inconvenient lot access and the Green Line's indirect route to downtown Portland compared with the availability of more direct bus routes. The cost-per-space for building park and rides
9313-625: The Robertson Tunnel, the system's longest underground segment. MAX crosses the Willamette River using the Steel Bridge and Tilikum Crossing. In studies conducted for the Eastside MAX, planners recommended using the Steel Bridge due to its former role as a river crossing for the city's historic streetcars. When MAX commenced service in 1986, trains shared the bridge's center lanes with vehicular traffic. In 2008, workers closed
9452-488: The Rockwell equipment, because the Rockwell system was still being designed at the time that production was beginning on the additional cars. If the city had waited for it to be completed, installed and thoroughly tested in car 015 before installing it in the additional cars, doing so would delay the completion of those cars too much, city officials indicated. These first "production-series" cars are United Streetcar model "100", instead of 10T3. In 2011, production problems raised
9591-427: The South Waterfront District, opened on October 20, 2006. For the next five years, that section of track differed from the rest of the line in that the streetcar track ran entirely in its own right-of-way (formerly used by the Willamette Shore Trolley ). It was also bi-directional single track . This configuration was always planned to be temporary, awaiting an expected rebuilding of Moody Avenue, and in November 2011
9730-447: The Streetcar. Each vehicle also carries a ticket validator machine, for stamping "unvalidated" TriMet tickets purchased in advance. TriMet and Portland Streetcar have agreed to honor one another's fares, which means that TriMet passes, tickets and bus transfer receipts are accepted on the streetcar, and tickets purchased or validated on a streetcar are valid for travel on TriMet services (bus, MAX or WES Commuter Rail ). To facilitate this,
9869-403: The Type 4 cars, including less-cramped interior seating, and improvements to the air-conditioning system and wheelchair ramps. These introduced a new seating layout in the center section, among other changes, and Siemens later retroactively redesignated TriMet's Type 5 cars as model S700. In July 2019, TriMet placed an order for 26 Siemens S700 light rail vehicles that are intended to replace
10008-733: The Vintage Trolley service in late November 2005. It never resumed, and the two vintage-style cars were returned to TriMet and moved back to that agency's Vintage Trolley carbarn next to the Rose Quarter MAX station in January 2007. (One other Vintage Trolley continued to provide service on a portion of the MAX system until 2014.) Each Portland streetcar is 66 feet (20.12 m) long, whereas Portland's MAX cars are 88 to 95 feet (26.82–28.96 m) long, and streetcars are operated in revenue service as single cars at all times, never coupled into trains. However, all models of
10147-491: The aftermath of the September 11 attacks . Red Line service originally ran between the airport and downtown, turning around at the loop tracks on 11th Avenue. On September 1, 2003, it was extended west along existing tracks to Beaverton Transit Center to relieve overcrowding on the Blue Line and to create a one-seat airport connection for the west side. In 1999, Portland business leaders and residents who were opposed to
10286-529: The alignment followed. TriMet approved the project in September 1978. Construction of the 15.3-mile (24.6 km), 27-station line between 11th Avenue in downtown Portland and Cleveland Avenue in Gresham began in March 1982. Inaugural service commenced on September 5, 1986. Less than two months before opening, TriMet adopted the name "Metropolitan Area Express", or "MAX", following an employee contest. As
10425-430: The bridge's upper deck to construct a junction between the Eastside MAX tracks and the newer Portland Transit Mall tracks. Upon reopening, the two inner lanes became exclusive to MAX trains, while cars, buses, and other motorized traffic were restricted to the two outer lanes. TriMet designed and built the newer Tilikum Crossing to accommodate transit vehicles (MAX, streetcar, and buses), cyclists, and pedestrians only; with
10564-418: The broader Portland metropolitan area , Portland Streetcars are operated and maintained by TriMet . But unlike MAX, the streetcar system is owned by the city of Portland and managed by Portland Streetcar Incorporated, a non-profit public benefit corporation whose board of directors report to the city's Bureau of Transportation . Like some of Portland's original streetcar lines, redevelopment has been
10703-470: The cancellation of the South–North Line urged TriMet to revive the project. TriMet responded with a new proposal that would expand MAX solely to North Portland via North Interstate Avenue. The agency moved forward with this plan and the Interstate MAX broke ground in February 2001. To minimize costs to taxpayers, the city created an urban renewal district and federal matching funds were allocated from
10842-610: The capabilities of Portland Streetcar's own "carbarn". The two systems are connected at two places: the first is a single curve of track at SW 10th and Morrison connecting to the westbound Red and Blue Line track. An additional set of connections exists at both ends of the Tilikum Crossing , as Central Loop streetcars share tracks with the MAX Orange Line to cross the bridge. TriMet's light-rail maintenance shops feature additional equipment, as TriMet's railcar fleet
10981-449: The capacity to store 87 light rail cars. In 2016, around 200 employees worked at Ruby Junction and almost 200 MAX operators operated trains that were based there. In addition to vehicle maintenance, crews who maintain the MAX system's tracks and signals are also based at Ruby Junction. In 2015, some maintenance-of-way personnel moved into the Portland Vintage Trolley carbarn next to Rose Quarter Transit Center after Vintage Trolley service
11120-665: The car was complete and operable in mid-2009, it had yet to undertake the extensive "acceptance testing" needed to certify that it was safe for passenger service and would run reliably. Car 015's propulsion control system was made by Škoda, whereas all 10 earlier Portland streetcars—even the seven cars built by Škoda—had control systems supplied by Elin EBG, an Austrian company (and only installed by Škoda). Acceptance testing began in late summer 2009, but revealed unspecified problems, and Škoda and Portland Streetcar were unable to reach agreement on resolving them. This issue, together with
11259-458: The company and local governments was negotiated and construction of the Airport MAX began in June 1999. With no federal assistance requested and right-of-way already secured, it was completed in just under two years. The four-station, 5.5-mile (8.9 km) line between Gateway/Northeast 99th Avenue Transit Center and Portland International Airport station opened on September 10, 2001. Celebrations scheduled for that weekend were canceled in
11398-487: The condition that they included potential route extensions to Clark County, Washington . Metro completed the studies in 1993, ultimately abandoning I-205 in favor of a route along the I-5 and Willamette River corridors. It finalized a single 25-mile (40 km) line from Hazel Dell, Washington south to Clackamas Town Center via Milwaukie, which Metro and TriMet formally named the South–North Line. Metro said it adopted
11537-532: The cost of manufacturing of these cars, and as a result, the city agreed to reduce the number of cars on order from six to five. These cars have been assigned numbers 021–025 in the Portland Streetcar fleet. The first car (021) was delivered in January 2013 and entered service on June 11, 2013. As Portland Streetcar prepared to "close the loop" on the CL line with the completion of the Tilikum Crossing bridge,
11676-586: The edge. Non-street-level platforms may be accessed with elevators . Most light rail cars, with the exception of Type 1, are low-floor and have ramps that extend onto platforms to allow mobility devices to board. High-floor Type 1 cars are paired with low-floor Type 2 or 3 cars to maintain accessibility. In each train, an audio system and LED signs announce the name of each upcoming station. All trains have spaces and priority seating areas reserved for seniors and people with disabilities, and service animals are permitted on board. In 2011, TriMet began upgrading
11815-427: The exception of emergency responders , private vehicles are prohibited. Tilikum Crossing is thus recognized as the first major "car-free" bridge in the United States. MAX is powered by a conventional 750-volt direct current (DC) overhead wire system. Most of the system uses a dual-wire catenary, with a contact wire supported by a messenger wire . In central city areas such as downtown Portland, however, it uses
11954-628: The expansion of service to South Waterfront. By that time, the partnership between Inekon and Škoda had dissolved in an "ugly divorce", so these cars were constructed in Ostrava , Czech Republic , by a partnership of Inekon and the Ostrava city transit agency, Dopravní Podnik Ostrava . This partnership was originally named DPO-Inekon , but soon adopted the (English) name " Inekon Trams ". Portland cars 008–010 are model 12-Trio (a particular version of Inekon's Trio series of streetcar designs) and have
12093-434: The fleet can couple with each other for a rescue tow. The shorter car length keeps station construction expense lower than would be the case for a light-rail station, but the smaller cars do not provide equal carrying capacity as that of a light-rail train; a single articulated Portland streetcar is only about one-third the length of a two-car MAX train. Streetcar tracks in Portland are the same gauge as MAX tracks, but of
12232-647: The frames in Quebec but its factory in Barre, Vermont , manufactured the majority of each car, the first of which arrived in Portland in 1984. Each 45-short-ton (41 t) car is single-articulated and contains six axles. The high floors connect with the low platforms through interior steps, which necessitated platform wheelchair lifts until the arrival of low-floor cars. A car sits 76 people and has an overall capacity of 166. In 1992, TriMet officials conducted an accessibility study and determined that low-floor cars were
12371-482: The height of local freeway revolts in the 1970s, studies for public transit began using funds made available by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 . These funds had been intended for the Mount Hood Freeway and Interstate 505 (I-505) projects, which were abandoned amid strong opposition from the Portland city government and neighborhood associations. In 1973, Governor Tom McCall assembled
12510-532: The last bidirectional single-track sections on the MAX system. The Red Line extension to Hillsboro began service on August 25, 2024 with a soft launch, with the full launch beginning on August 28. Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport station was also renamed to Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds station . TriMet works with local jurisdictions and agencies to identify and recommend priority transit projects to include in Metro's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The 2018 RTP
12649-602: The lifts eventually became the cause of delays, and many users felt stigmatized by the lifts' "box" design and time-consuming operation. After the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, TriMet developed a paratransit plan in January 1992. Just before the start of the Westside MAX Project, MAX became the first light rail system in North America to procure low-floor vehicles after
12788-517: The line is not part of the TriMet system, the city honors TriMet's fares for the streetcar, for simplicity and convenience of transferring passengers. Streetcar-only fares are available, but are not valid on TriMet, unless using a Hop card, which will charge the difference in fare upon transferring. The portion of the streetcar route within Downtown and the Pearl District of the streetcar route used to lie within TriMet's Fareless Square , later known as
12927-436: The most cost-effective alternative to providing universal access. MAX then became the first light rail system in North America to acquire low-floor train sets when TriMet procured 39 model SD660 cars from Siemens in 1993. These Type 2 cars were equipped with doorway wheelchair ramps. They entered service during the partial opening of the Westside MAX in 1997. By 2000, TriMet had ordered 17 more Type 2 cars including six for
13066-449: The most number of spaces in a corridor. Clackamas Town Center Transit Center on the I-205 MAX segment includes a 750-space parking garage, the largest capacity of any single MAX station. Southeast Holgate Boulevard station , also on the I-205 MAX, provides the fewest parking spaces with 125 stalls. In the 2019 report, passengers originating from TriMet park and rides accounted for five percent of TriMet's total weekday ridership. In 2017,
13205-508: The name "South/North" instead of the more conventional "North/South" word order, at the request of representatives in the southern part of the corridor after the southern leg, which had long been planned to be the next-priority MAX corridor after the Westside line, was merged with the northern leg as a single proposed project. In November 1994, 63% of Portland area voters passed a $ 475 million ballot measure to fund Oregon's portion of
13344-563: The northbound segment of the transit mall. In 2001, Metro revisited its former light rail plans for Clackamas County and reconsidered proposals similar to those of the canceled South/North project, with two routes extending to Clackamas and Milwaukie. This resulted in a new study, which Metro referred to as the South Corridor transportation project, that evaluated light rail among other alternatives. The study's task force recommend both light rail options in 2003 and suggested splitting
13483-483: The oldest sections of MAX to improve pedestrian safety and compliance with updated ADA standards. TriMet installed pipe barriers at Gateway Transit Center platform crossings to force pedestrians to slow down and face oncoming trains before crossing the tracks and realigned sidewalks and crosswalks at four at-grade crossings in Gresham. Other improvements made throughout the line include the installation of pedestrian warning signals and tactile paving upgrades. Based on
13622-516: The operation of only one or two consists to prevent stopped trains from blocking intersections. Type 2 and 3 low-floor vehicles may run singularly or coupled to another Type 1, 2, or 3 vehicle. Type 1 high-floor vehicles are also capable of running singularly, but doing so would constrain accessibility due to a lack of wheelchair access. Thus, a high-floor car must be coupled with a low-floor car. Type 4 and 5 cars can only be coupled to one another. Twenty-six Type 1 high-floor vehicles were produced for
13761-668: The planning of a light rail line to the west side gained momentum in the mid-1980s, the original MAX line came to be referred to as the Eastside MAX to distinguish it from what would become the Westside MAX extension. Early proposals called for the extension to terminate just west of the Beaverton – Hillsboro boundary on 185th Avenue in Washington County . A dispute between TriMet and the Urban Mass Transportation Administration over
13900-456: The project into two phases. The first phase planned for the addition of light rail to I-205, between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center. In October of that year, the first phase plans were amended to include adding light rail to the Portland Transit Mall following a petition from Portland business leaders. The combined project was approved for federal funding in 2006 and work began in January 2007. Light rail commenced service along
14039-490: The project without seeking contributions from either Clark County or the state, instead sourcing funds from Clackamas County and Portland. In 1998, TriMet placed a new ballot measure to reaffirm voter support for the $ 475 million originally approved in 1994. The measure failed by 52% in November of that year, effectively canceling the proposed line. Compelled by the rapid expansion of Portland International Airport in
14178-546: The project. The following February, however, Clark County residents defeated a tax measure that would have funded Washington's share. To move the project forward, TriMet downsized the plan and abandoned the line's Clark County and North Portland segments up to the Rose Quarter . That July, the Oregon House of Representatives approved a $ 750 million transportation package, which included $ 375 million for
14317-549: The remaining length of two-way single track to less than 100 feet (30 m) (in operational terms; less than 10 feet (3 m) of actual shared track), on Montgomery Street between 4th and 5th Avenues. On August 30, 2015, the Central Loop Line was renamed as the Loop Service, with the A Loop traveling in a clockwise direction and the B Loop traveling counter-clockwise. Funding for the streetcar operation comes primarily from TriMet , fares, city parking revenue, and
14456-469: The replacement of car 015's control equipment with new equipment to be designed by Rockwell Automation. Under FTA rules, the grant was made to TriMet (the region's primary transit agency), but TriMet only acted as intermediary in this instance, and it passed the funds along to the Portland Streetcar system's owner, the city of Portland, who administered the contract with Rockwell and the now-amended contract with Oregon Iron Works/United Streetcar. The change
14595-476: The route was extended south of Gibbs Street, to SW Lowell and Bond, serving more of the South Waterfront district. This 0.46-mile (0.74 km) extension is a 10-block loop, from SW Moody and Gibbs proceeding south on Moody Avenue, east on Lowell Street and north on Bond Avenue to OHSU Commons at Gibbs, which stop is also directly adjacent to the entrance to the aerial tram. By 2008, Portland estimated
14734-483: The same as Škoda-built cars 001–007, but features a slightly modified end design. Although the differences are relatively minor, car 015 is considered to be model variant 10T3, whereas cars 001-005 were 10T0 and cars 006-007 were 10T2. Car 015, which carries a red, white and blue paint scheme and large "Made in USA" lettering along the sides, was presented to the public in a July 1, 2009, ceremony, at which Secretary Ray LaHood
14873-429: The same route into downtown Portland as the Blue and Red lines. It was realigned to the transit mall in 2009 when light rail service was introduced to that corridor. MAX operates on a mixture of shared and exclusive transit right-of-way. Within downtown Portland, trains run on surface streets. They operate in dedicated lanes restricted to personal vehicles, and operators abide by the city's traffic control system. On
15012-447: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Metropolitan Area Express . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metropolitan_Area_Express&oldid=1169632611 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
15151-559: The same time TriMet was planning the Westside MAX in the mid-1980s, Metro regional government announced new light rail proposals for Clackamas County . Its planning committee—the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT)—proposed two separate routes that would have run between downtown Portland and Oregon City via Milwaukie and between Portland International Airport and Clackamas Town Center via I-205 . Further planning led JPACT to favor
15290-548: The scaled-back line. The funding was annulled by the Oregon Supreme Court due to the inclusion of unrelated measures that violated the state's constitution. The legislature met again in February 1996 and passed a revised $ 375 million package, but light rail opponents forced a statewide vote and defeated it the following November. A third proposal between Lombard Street in North Portland and Clackamas Town Center followed. This time, Metro and TriMet pursued
15429-486: The section from 11th Avenue to Kings Hill/Southwest Salmon Street was opened in 1997 and the section to Hatfield Government Center —the segment's current western terminus—was opened in 1998. The resulting 33-mile (53 km) MAX line began operating as a single, through service on September 12, 1998. This service was renamed the Blue Line in 2001 after TriMet adopted color designations for its light rail routes. At
15568-653: The section served by both routes. The end-to-end length of the original route, now designated the "NS Line", is 3.9 miles (6.3 km) since 2007, and the 2012-opened "CL Line" added 3.3 miles (5.3 km). The total one-way length of the CL Line is 4.4 miles (7.1 km), for it shares 1.1 miles (1.8 km) of route along 10th and 11th Avenues in downtown with the NS Line. Of the NS Line's 7.8-mile (12.6 km) round-trip length, 5.3 miles (8.5 km) are one-way operation along streets which are mostly also one-way and with
15707-497: The signalling systems, streetcar movements to the Ruby Junction facility had to take place very late at night, a time when TriMet schedules maintenance on the MAX line. Portland Streetcar managers therefore decided, early on, simply to remove streetcar components needing repair at a TriMet facility and transport them there by road, avoiding the need to schedule time on the MAX line to move a streetcar. Portland Streetcar now owns
15846-532: The stop announcement, as well as a small advertisement placed inside the vehicle or shelter. Brochures and ticket sales can also be sponsored. For the eastside line, the federal government contributed $ 75 million in 2009, with $ 20 million coming from Oregon Lottery -backed bonds; the rest of the cost was paid by the city, through the Portland Development Commission and a local improvement district tax on property owners near
15985-486: The streetcar line began using new double track on a realigned section of Moody. This change left the short section of bi-directional single track around 4th and Montgomery as the only such running on the current PS system. At the streetcar's Gibbs Street stop, a new pedestrian bridge opened in summer 2012, linking the stop to the Lair Hill neighborhood that was otherwise cut off by Interstate 5 . On August 17, 2007,
16124-428: The streetcar line, and they lacked the satellite-detection equipment necessary for them to be detected by the real-time arrival system ( NextBus ) informing passengers waiting at stops. When the line was extended to RiverPlace, the Vintage Trolley service continued to terminate at PSU, because of concerns that the steep incline on the new section could damage the cars' motors . These and other issues led to suspension of
16263-431: The streetcar prompted the construction of more than 10,000 new housing units and 5,400,000 square feet (500,000 m ) of institutional, office, and retail and construction within two blocks. During 2010, Portland Streetcar had a weekday average of 11,900 riders. In August 2012, it was reported by one source as "about 10,000", but ridership varies by season – for example, being higher when Portland State University
16402-843: The streetcar system was located entirely within TriMet's Zone 1. TriMet tickets and transfers were valid all-day on the streetcar prior to that change, which also coincided with TriMet's elimination of the Free Rail Zone (Fareless Square). Since September 1, 2012, TriMet and Portland Streetcar tickets have an identical period of validity, of 2.5 hours (except for all-day tickets). NS Line streetcars enter service on westbound tracks (at NW Northrup and 16th streets). Service starts at NW 23rd Avenue at Marshall. Yard-bound trains make their last stop at NW 18th Street and Lovejoy before entering yard via Lovejoy. Loop Service streetcars enter service on eastbound tracks (at NW Lovejoy and 15th streets). Service starts at NW 9th Street and Lovejoy. Yard-bound trains make their last stop at NW 14th Street and Northrup (which
16541-468: The streetcars following parallel streets in opposite directions. The remaining 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of round-trip route length are sections where the NS streetcar route uses a single street (or private right-of-way ) for both directions of travel. The CL Line, similarly, follows separate streets in opposite directions over most of its length. The only exceptions are a length of about 1,000 feet (300 m) near
16680-467: The system's Type 1 vehicles. The order was expanded to 30 cars in June 2021. The first car was delivered in December 2022, and the type will be designated Type 6. TriMet's vehicle-maintenance complexes for the MAX system are the Ruby Junction facility in Gresham and the smaller Elmonica facility in Beaverton. The Ruby Junction facility is located near Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue station while
16819-412: The ticket machines on board the streetcars and at streetcar stops sell TriMet tickets – covering both the streetcar fare and any TriMet rides the purchaser makes within the ticket's period of validity (2.5 hours or all day) – as well as streetcar-only tickets. For the same reason, prior to September 2012, the streetcar ticket machines offered all-zone (three-zone) and two-zone tickets, despite the fact that
16958-424: The time. This lack had forced streetcar systems to turn to overseas builders as the only source of the type of railcar needed. The first Portland Streetcar project had not used any federal funds. However, for any future streetcar projects desiring to obtain federal matching funds, among which were the planned future expansion in Portland, the vehicles would need to comply with the minimum 60% U.S. content provisions of
17097-467: The tracks run within a street median, intersections are controlled by traffic signals that give trains preemption . Where tracks run on a separate right-of-way, trains are protected by automated grade crossing gates when traversing level crossings . Some segments of MAX are elevated to carry trains over busy thoroughfares and difficult terrain. A three-mile (4.8 km) section of tracks runs beneath Washington Park in Portland's West Hills through
17236-586: The two city blocks in downtown Portland occupied by the Pioneer Courthouse and Pioneer Courthouse Square ; they are the Pioneer Courthouse and Pioneer Place stations —served by the Green, Orange, and Yellow lines—and the Pioneer Square stations —served by the Blue and Red lines. MAX stations vary in size but are generally simple and austere. Platforms are about 200 feet (61 m) long as
17375-417: The vehicle doorway—to allow wheelchair access. Compared to MAX cars they are shorter and narrower, a result of having to run in mixed traffic on neighborhood streets, alongside parked automobiles. The cars are lighter than those used by MAX, allowing cheaper, less-intense track construction. Furthermore, couplers on the streetcars are hidden behind bumper skirts and only used to move disabled units back to
17514-493: The word "trolley" would carry the connotation that the service was only a tourist attraction rather than a form of transportation, and in 1993 the city decided the line would use modern, low-floor cars instead of vintage ones. In 1995, the city estimated the cost to build a line from Northwest Portland to PSU as $ 30 million. Portland Streetcar started with a 4.8 miles (7.7 km) counterclockwise loop of single track that commenced operations on July 20, 2001, running from
17653-428: The yard. From spring 2007 until fall 2012, the serviceable fleet included ten streetcars. An 11th car was delivered in 2009 but did not enter service until September 2012 (see next section). The 11 cars were supplied in four batches between 2001 and 2009, built by any of three different manufacturers. However, they have nearly identical dimensions and are similar in all respects, since the design used for all eleven cars
17792-543: The Škoda propulsion control system, the city decided in 2010 to modify the OIW/United Streetcar contract for these cars, to substitute equipment from Elin for the originally planned Škoda equipment. Fabrication of the streetcars had yet to begin at the time of that decision, but the change was substantial enough that delivery was delayed as a result, and the first cars are now not projected to be delivered until December 2012. These five cars were not fitted with
17931-472: Was allocated for construction of a U.S.-manufactured streetcar vehicle. Congressman Peter DeFazio indicated that the contract would go to Oregon Iron Works in Clackamas, Oregon , and that Portland would be permitted to keep the prototype vehicle permanently. This special federal grant was intended to foster the creation of a domestic manufacturing industry for modern streetcars, which was non-existent at
18070-443: Was designated the Red Line. Every MAX line interlines with at least one other service, particularly as it approaches the system's central area. The Steel Bridge accommodates the most interline routes with four lines (Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow) utilizing the same tracks. TriMet has modified train routes over time, often as part of system expansions. For example, the Yellow Line, which began service in 2004, originally followed
18209-523: Was developed by the same two Czech companies, Škoda and Inekon . Cars 001 through 005 have been in operation since 2001, while cars 006 and 007 were added in 2002. These seven were built by a now-defunct joint venture between Škoda and Inekon, and are Škoda's 10T model, originally also called Astra 10T. Inekon performed most of the design work, while Škoda carried out the construction, in Plzeň . Three additional cars, numbered 008–010, were ordered for
18348-434: Was discontinued. Ruby Junction originally housed TriMet's operations, communications, and administrative workers. The Elmonica facility was built as part of the Westside MAX Project in the mid-1990s and was completed in 1996. Its building has 78,000 square feet (7,200 m ) of space. Portland Streetcar [REDACTED] Portland Streetcar routes in relation to MAX Light Rail routes. The Portland Streetcar
18487-399: Was eventually inaugurated as Tilikum Crossing , to be "car-free" and to accommodate only transit vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Construction of the line began in June 2011. In September 2012, opponents passed a ballot initiative—with 60% of the vote—requiring all Clackamas County spending on light rail to be approved by voters. Following the county's attempt to end its involvement and
18626-524: Was expected to increase the overall U.S. content of the car from around 70% to around 90%, and this helped win the support of federal officials to approve the $ 2.4 million in "research funds" needed to allow project to proceed. Prototype streetcar 015 was transported back to the OIW factory, in Portland's southeast suburbs, in May 2010, and it returned on April 30, 2012, now fitted with the experimental Rockwell propulsion system. It began acceptance testing on
18765-600: Was introduced at that time. On September 22, 2012, the Eastside Line, renamed the Central Loop Line (or CL Line, for short), opened for service. In 2014, about half of the system's only section of bidirectional single track used in service, along SW 4th Avenue and Montgomery Street, was converted to double track, with the installation a second track along 4th and around the turn onto Montgomery. This new track came into use on September 23, 2014, and reduced
18904-470: Was placed up for auction in 2024. Until late 2005 the fleet also contained two Portland Vintage Trolleys , replicas of 1904 J. G. Brill Company streetcars owned by TriMet. These two cars (of four such cars owned by TriMet) were transferred to the city of Portland in 2001 for use on the Portland Streetcar line on weekends. They were used on both Saturdays and Sundays, with just one car in service on each day. However, they were not wheelchair-accessible on
19043-627: Was suspended to make way for construction, and shuttle buses operated between Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport. The project was completed in March 2024. From June 18 to October 21, 2023, TriMet suspended MAX service between Gateway Transit Center and the airport to allow for construction of the second track between the airport and Mount Hood Avenue. From January 14 to March 3, 2024, TriMet suspended MAX Red, Blue and Green Line service between NE 7th and Gateway Transit Center. Inbound Red Line trains from PDX began serving Gateway North on March 4, 2024. These projects eliminated
19182-445: Was the featured speaker. Car 015's entry into service was delayed by more than three years, not finally occurring until September 2012. The main reason for the delay was a 2010 decision to replace its propulsion-control system – the electronic equipment which controls and coordinates the operation of the car's motors and other key operating components – with equipment made by Rockwell Automation , of Milwaukee , Wisconsin . Although
19321-435: Was the first phase of a plan to serve Portland's South Waterfront redevelopment area, including a new outpost of Oregon Health & Science University . This section includes a short length of two-way single-track operation, which at the time was about 100 yards (91 m) long and ran along Montgomery Street and 4th Avenue. (The 4th Avenue section was doubled in 2014.) Streetcar-only signals ensure that only one direction
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