From June 16-21, nightly MAX service between PDX and Gateway will be disrupted beginning at 7:30 p.m.
A milestone approaches for TriMet’s newest trains before they enter regular service: testing on the MAX Red Line. It will happen this June over six consecutive nights. To provide dedicated space for testing, the Red Line will experience nightly disruptions from Sunday, June 16, through Friday, June 21, between the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center and Portland International Airport.
To lessen the impact on riders, we’re limiting the disruption to evenings and the overnight hours when ridership is lower. Shuttle buses will replace MAX Red Line trains starting at 7:30 p.m. and last until the end of service, stopping at all closed stations between the Gateway Transit Center and PDX. Red Line service will then resume each morning on its regular schedule.
MAX Red Line service will be fully restored after testing is completed on Saturday, June 22.
The disruption is necessary to give our newest light rail vehicles— our “Type 6” MAX trains — dedicated track space to conduct electromagnetic compatibility tests. Electromagnetic fields are common. It’s how radio, TV and cellular signals are transmitted. During testing, crews will need to clear an area to set up equipment to measure the train’s electromagnetic characteristics to ensure the trains do not create excessive emissions and that emissions don’t interfere with safe train operation. These tests are required before any new light rail vehicle enters regular service, ensuring that it’s compatible with industry standards as well as our existing rail system.
June 16-21: Know before you go
We’ll be moving riders around the nighttime disruptions using shuttle buses. Those shuttles will run between Gateway and PDX, arriving about every 10 minutes. They will continue until the end of service in the early morning hours. There will be no impacts on the MAX Blue, Green, Orange or Yellow lines.
You can sign up for alerts now by going to trimet.org/emailupdates and be reminded of the disruptions directly as they approach. We encourage riders to plan an extra 30 minutes for their trips for the times when shuttle buses are operating in place of MAX service. Shuttle buses at PDX will pick up and drop off riders outside the doors of the lower baggage claim area, near the MAX station. Look for signs directing the way.
Luggage is welcome aboard MAX Red Line shuttle buses, but please keep in mind that there will be less space on board. We will have extra staff available to assist riders and help them make their connections.
We want to thank riders in advance for their patience and understanding. Although introducing a new type of train is involved work, it’s something that’s worth the investment. Light rail vehicles are capable of serving riders for decades. Our oldest trains have been in continuous operation for 38 years!
Type 6 testing
We’re eager to get our newest MAX trains rolling for riders. And we’re getting close! In total, we’re introducing 30 new vehicles, and we’ve been putting them through a series of tests these past several months to prepare them for service. Two trains have already entered the final operational testing phase, what we call the “burn-in,” where we run them out of service for 5,000 miles. The rest of the trains will go through a 1,500-mile burn-in.
TriMet expects to start introducing the new vehicles beginning this summer. Similar to all but our oldest trains, which were introduced in 1986, these are manufactured by Siemens Mobility. They feature operator cabs on both ends and space on board for 168 riders.
Once the trains are in service, riders will be greeted by a top-of-the-line vehicle that’s comfortable and efficient, with improved technology, better lighting, updated digital displays and improved temperature controls. They will also feature upgraded diagnostics, making it easier to predict when maintenance is needed. For more information, visit trimet.org/max6.
