What’s happening to TriMet’s original trains now that new ones are rolling in?

Published 11:36 am Tuesday, March 11, 2025

It’s in with the new and out with the old for TriMet.

The Type 1 trains have lived their nearly four-decade-long life, some having traveled millions of miles, and it’s time to let them rest.

In mid-January, the first Type 6 MAX trains — the newest generation — rolled out for service. The two, paired together, hosted its first riders at 6:06 a.m. on Jan. 16, out of TriMet’s Ruby Junction Rail Operating Facility.

It’s been a decade since the last generation of MAX trains were introduced, the Type 5.

But it’s been almost 40 years since the first generation was introduced, known for its boxy shape and elevated floors.

So, with the new hot shots coming in, what’s going to happen to the trains that started it all?

Let’s dive in:

Type 1 MAX trains

Up until the mid-1980s, TriMet had only run bus service. It wasn’t until 1986 when the light rail system was started. It was a decades-in-the-making shift in transportation planning, for both TriMet and North America.

Tyler Graf, a public information officer with TriMet, said that the agency was only the second city on the West Coast — behind San Diego — to construct a light rail.

“Portland was on the cutting edge, we were on the forefront of light rail expansion,” Graf said.

The Type 1 MAX trains are the only ones not manufactured by Siemens Mobility. Instead they were done by Bombardier, a French-Canadian manufacturer. The remained the only model with elevated floors, and have since been paired with other generations to for improved accessibility for riders.

These trains paved way for future generations, and have had a fair share of pop culture moments.

Graf mentioned that the movie, “The Hunted,” is one of few movies that feature an “actual” MAX train, which ended up being a bus articulated to look like a Type 1 MAX train. It boasts the same boxy build, but in the film crossed the Hawthorne Bridge, as opposed to the Steel Bridge.

“Anybody who’s watching the movie and is familiar with Portland would notice that inconsistency,” Graf said.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

It’s been about a year since the first Type 1 MAX train was recycled.

Graf described that the train was solely used for parts, since they no longer could find what they needed for repairs. It sat and was parted out over the course of a year to provide for the rest.

“These trains are so old, and essentially obsolete, that we can’t source parts for the trains anymore,” Graf said of the Type 1s.

The others have since started being decommissioned, first removing the trains’ HVAC systems, followed by the wheel trucks, gearbox oil, hydraulic fluid, batteries and other unrecyclable parts.

What follows are the trains being separated into sections before being placed onto the back of a 50-foot truck for transport, according to TriMet. Only one company on the West Coast is able to transport an intact vehicle, which requires special permits.

At Radius Recycling in North Portland, these trains are being turned into rebar, which will later be used to construct new buildings.

Keeping a piece of history

One train will remain at the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks.

Graf said this is not yet known when it will be installed, but it will be “many months” from now, as they continue phasing out the Type 1 trains.

The train will be housed in the largest trolley museum in the Pacific Northwest, which hosts a collection of vehicles from around the world.

Other Portland vehicles there include cars the the Mt. Hood, Broadway, Council Crest and Portland interurban systems.

The museum features an operation rail yard, where visitors can take rides on the various vehicles, which is he proposed plan for the Type 1 MAX train.

New Type 6 Max trains

There will be a total of 30 new vehicles, called the Type 6 MAX trains. Most of these are still in the “burn-in” phases, according to Graf, which include static and dynamic testing on the test track.

By the time the trains are in service they will have operated more than 5,000 miles.

Brightly blue and orange in color, they are the same length as the Type 5 MAX trains at 96 feet and 11 inches, and the same width at 8 feet and 8 inches.

Type 6 MAX train features include:

• Video-enabled destination screens
• Improved lighting and temperature control
• Predictive maintenance for reliability
• Advanced security system
• Operator cabs at both ends of the train car
• The capacity for 168 riders

The goal of the new trains is to improve the rider experience, Graf said, offering improved features for both the riders and the crew aboard.

To find out more, visit trimet.org/max6.

To find out more, visit trimet.org/max6

“Portland was on the cutting edge, we were on the forefront of light rail expansion”

Tyler Graf, public information officer, TriMet