MAX Vehicle and Fleet Facts

TriMet operates a total of 127 light rail vehicles (LRVs).

Type 1 LRVs

Between 1984 and 1986, 26 LRVs were purchased for the original Eastside MAX line and delivered by Bombardier. Bombardier developed the design from cars previously supplied to Rio de Janeiro and Manila. They’ve run reliably over a million miles on the TriMet system since their first arrival. [Note: where did we get this particular statistic?]

Type 1 cars are boarded via stairs located at both ends and at two points near the middle of each car. The Eastside MAX line was built with lifts mounted on the platforms to help passengers with wheelchairs board these "high-floor" cars. When low-floor Type 2 cars were introduced in the late 1990s, these lifts were removed from the stations. Type 1 cars are now only run as a double-car train with Type 2 or Type 3 LRVs, so that all trains are fully accessible.

Type 2 LRVs

TriMet first ordered 39 low-floor cars for the Westside light rail project, supplied by Siemens and assembled in Sacramento. With subsequent add-on orders for system ridership growth and an extension to the airport, a total of 52 cars were delivered between 1997 and 2000. They were the first low-floor light rail cars to be used in revenue service in the United States; now low-floor cars are the standard for new LRV purchases across the country. Type 2 cars were recently retrofitted with bike hooks where cyclists can hang their bikes, thus reducing the amount of floorspace taken up by bicycles.

Type 3 LRVs

TriMet has 27 Type 3 LRVs in revenue service. These LRVs are essentially the same as the Type 2s, except they have automatic passenger counters and improved air conditioning systems.

Like the Type 2 cars, Type 3s are low-floor vehicles. Boarding ramps at two doors on each side of the car provide "level boarding" for passengers in mobility devices. Once activated, the ramp extends out 12 inches and spans a two-inch horizontal and three-inch vertical gap, allowing passengers to roll aboard easily.

Type 4 LRVs

22 new light rail vehicles have joined the TriMet fleet to support the addition of MAX Green Line service. The new trains have more seats and a sleeker look. With aerodynamic styling, rounded corners and a sloping front end, they are roughly 191 feet, about seven feet longer than our older MAX vehicles. There are 8 more seats per train, plus additional standing room. While existing MAX trains were designed to carry up to 332 riders, these can carry 344. And while MAX has always been environmentally friendly, these new trains are more energy efficient than previous models. They're nearly 6,000 pounds lighter, so they don't need as much electricity to operate.

LRV maintenance

All LRV maintenance and repair is carried out in TriMet's two light rail facilities—Ruby Junction on the eastside of the metro area and Elmonica on the westside. Repairs and adjustments are performed as needed when a train returns to its facility each day. LRV mechanics follow a comprehensive maintenence schedule with inspections and adjustments ocurring monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, depending on the type of procedure.

Special procedures for snow and ice

When snowy weather comes to the metro area, TriMet's LRV mechanics and workers kick into high gear to keep the trains running. Special overhead wire heating elements are activated on all trains to keep the wires clear of ice and snow. Plows clear packed snow out of the track grooves. For more serious weather, problem areas have to be cleared manually.