MAX Light Rail

MAX Light Rail
Name	MAX Light Rail
Caption	A Siemens S70 train in Portland, Oregon.
Locale	Portland metropolitan area, Oregon, United States
Transit type	Light rail
Began operation	September 5, 1986
Operator	TriMet
Vehicles	Siemens S70 and Siemens SD660
Stations	97
Ridership	113,600 (weekday, 2019)
Track gauge	sg
El	750 V DC

MAX Light Rail is a light rail system serving the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Operated by TriMet, it opened in 1986 and has grown into a five-line network connecting the cities of Portland, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, and Clackamas County, with extensions to Portland International Airport and North Portland. The system is a cornerstone of the region's transportation planning, integrating with Portland Streetcar, WES Commuter Rail, and an extensive bus network.

History

Planning for a modern rail system in Portland began in the 1970s, influenced by the cancellation of the Mount Hood Freeway and advocacy from leaders like Neil Goldschmidt. The initial segment, known as the Banfield Light Rail Project, was funded through the Interstate Transfer program and opened in September 1986, linking downtown Portland and the Lloyd District with Gresham. Subsequent expansions were driven by regional land-use policies under Metro and federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration. Major milestones included the westward extension to Hillsboro via the Robertson Tunnel in 1998, the Interstate MAX line to North Portland in 2004, the MAX Green Line to Clackamas in 2009, and the MAX Orange Line across the Tilikum Crossing to Milwaukie in 2015.

System overview

The network spans approximately 60 miles (97 km) of mostly double-track standard gauge route, operating on a mix of exclusive right-of-way, street-running alignments in Portland's downtown transit mall, and aerial structures like the Steel Bridge. It uses a 750-volt DC catenary system for power. Key transfer points include the Pioneer Courthouse Square and Rose Quarter Transit Center, with major park-and-ride facilities at stations such as Gateway Transit Center. The system is policed by the TriMet Transit Police Division and maintains close operational ties with Portland & Western Railroad.

Lines and stations

There are five color-coded lines: Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, and Orange. They converge in downtown Portland along 5th and 6th Avenues, with the Blue and Red lines sharing the longest route between Hillsboro and Gresham. Notable stations include the underground Washington Park, the deepest in North America, and Portland International Airport station, which provides a direct connection to the main terminal. The system serves major destinations like Portland State University, Oregon Convention Center, Providence Park, and Oregon Health & Science University.

Operations

Trains operate from approximately 4:00 a.m. to after midnight daily, with frequencies ranging from 3-5 minutes during peak periods in the central city to 15 minutes on weekends and branch segments. TriMet manages all operations, including fare collection using the Hop Fastpass electronic system. The Fareless Square program, which offered free rides in downtown Portland, was discontinued in 2012. Service is coordinated with Portland Streetcar and WES Commuter Rail schedules, and major disruptions are communicated via TriMet's Twitter alerts and website.

Rolling stock

The fleet consists of two primary types: the Siemens SD660 low-floor vehicles, introduced in the 1990s, and the newer Siemens S70 models, which began service with the MAX Green Line. All vehicles are bidirectional and accessible, meeting Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Maintenance is performed at the Ruby Junction Maintenance Facility in Gresham and the Elmonica Maintenance Facility in Beaverton. The distinctive vehicle design and livery were part of a regional identity effort led by Oregon College of Art and Craft designers.

Future expansion

Long-range plans developed by Metro and TriMet include potential extensions identified in the Southwest Corridor Light Rail project, which would connect downtown Portland to Bridgeport Village in Tualatin. Other conceptual corridors studied involve service to Oregon City and improved connections in Washington County. Funding for new projects would likely require ballot measures and federal support from the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants program.

Category:Light rail in the United States Category:Transportation in Portland, Oregon Category:TriMet Category:Railway companies established in 1986 Category:1986 establishments in Oregon