This spring, TriMet is starting the process of replacing all 26 of the aging Type 1 vehicles that made up the first fleet of trains when light rail service first began in 1986. The base model of the new vehicles will offer:
- Updated mechanical and electrical systems
- Modern safety features
- Low floors that make boarding quicker and easier
What would you like to see?
The next generation of MAX trains will be called Type 6, and TriMet is asking for everyone’s feedback to help make them the best yet. What features would riders like to see on the next generation of MAX trains? How do riders think the vehicle design or function could be improved?
Thanks to public feedback and internal fine-tuning during the feedback process for TriMet’s Type 5s–the newest vehicles released with the opening of the Orange Line in 2015 — they offer added features like:
- More seats with reconfigured seats to improve legroom and sight lines
- Extra companion seating between the doors for seniors and companions of people using a mobility device
- Improved ADA ramps
- Improved air condition systems for passenger comfort
- More durable and energy-efficient interior lighting
- Improved security cameras (digital instead of analog)
- More user-friendly work-space for operators
System workhorses to be retired
It’s been more than 30 years since TriMet’s first line of MAX trains, the Type 1s, hit the tracks and they’re now starting to show their age. Thanks to our innovative and hardworking mechanics and maintenance crews, we’ve been able to far extend the original equipment manufacturer’s estimated useful life of 1.5 million miles of service per car — a milestone met in 2014–and we will be able to reach an impressive 2 million miles per vehicle when they’re eventually retired in 2022.
The original Type 1s began light rail service in 1986 with the launch of the MAX Blue Line, and have been carrying riders ever since. Like any aging vehicle, they are requiring more maintenance, experiencing increased mechanical issues and cost 28 percent more to maintain than our newer vehicles. Additionally, parts for the vehicles are increasingly difficult to find, electronic systems are becoming outdated, and the high floors can make boarding both difficult and time-consuming for riders with mobility devices.
What’s next?
TriMet plans to start the design phase sometime next year, with manufacturing to begin in 2020. Riders could see the first new Type 6s in service before the end of 2021, with all Type 1s fully retired two years after that.
