Final train in TriMet’s new 30-vehicle fleet marks completion of a two-year delivery process and the start of a new era for MAX reliability
A new chapter in TriMet’s light-rail story rolled off the back of a flatbed truck and onto the rails this week as the final Type 6 MAX arrived at the Ruby Junction Rail Operations Facility. The occasion marked another major milestone in TriMet’s largest MAX fleet upgrade in more than 20 years.
Before it begins opening its doors to riders, the new vehicle will undergo weeks of testing, including logging at least 3,000 miles out of service.
The final Type 6 MAX train was delivered on Thursday, Nov. 20, completing the fleet and bringing TriMet’s total to 30 new MAX trains. The first Type 6 train began service on Jan. 16, 2025, and TriMet currently has 22 in service, accounting for approximately 15% of the total MAX fleet.
“The arrival of the final Type 6 represents a major step toward a new era for our MAX system,” TriMet’s Chief Operations Officer Inessa Vitko said. “These trains are an investment in our region’s shared future – one that will continue to move our riders to opportunities safely and reliably for years to come, all while saving TriMet time and money to maintain our equipment.”
A milestone years in the making
Each of the 30 new, state-of-the-art MAX trains is designed for enhanced reliability, comfort and safety while lowering overall maintenance costs.
For years, parts for the original Type 1s, now roughly 40 years old, have been impossible to find. Replacement parts had to be created in-house by maintenance crews or sourced from a decommissioned Type 1. The completely analog Type 1s, introduced to the Portland region back in 1986, became an outlier in our fleet as train technology advanced over the decades.
In comparison, the Type 6s feature onboard diagnostic technology that alerts maintenance crews before issues arise, energy-efficient LED lighting, graphical digital information displays and security cameras that provide 360-degree coverage throughout each car.
Each train also includes a feature that may prove useful when temperatures drop below freezing. All of the Type 6s have heated ice cutters. These are attached to the trains’ pantographs, the metal arms atop trains that makes contact with the overhead wires. While trains are in motion, the heated cutters remove ice or prevent it from forming, thereby helping to prevent service disruptions during winter storms.
Built for the future
With all of the Type 6s now on-site, TriMet is setting up the MAX system to continue serving riders reliably for decades to come. TriMet expects the new trains to serve riders for around 30 years, if not longer. The Type 1s have been in continuous operation since MAX service began in 1986, and some have logged more than 2 million miles.
The new trains join TriMet’s existing fleet at a pivotal time, with the full completion in August 2024 of the multi-year Better Red MAX Red Line Extension and Improvements project, along with several other MAX system improvements. Many of these have taken place along older sections of the system, including the installation of an improved wire-tensioning system at several locations. They also include the full renovation of the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station platform, which we expect to reopen by the end of the year.
From arrival to the rails
Look for the Type 6 with train number 627 to start appearing next year.
After being offloaded at Ruby Junction, each Type 6 undergoes a multi-week period of “dynamic testing,” which includes track testing, braking and acceleration checks before it’s cleared for service. Riders will soon see the final train rolling out on the MAX Blue, Green, Orange, Red and Yellow lines, completing a full-fleet transition expected to boost MAX reliability system wide.
TriMet will continue to operate Type 1s until all of the Type 6s have entered service. While most of the vehicles are being recycled, one of the trains – car 101 – has already been donated to the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks, Ore.
This keeps us moving toward a new era for MAX. The Type 6 trains represent the best of modern rail technology and TriMet’s ongoing commitment to making transit better for everyone. More information about the Type 6 MAX trains can be found at trimet.org/max6.