Iconic Fleets: TriMet Type 1

The Type 1 is a model of light rail vehicle built by Bombardier for TriMet's MAX light rail line. They are the original MAX trains and are an icon of the MAX light rail system.

## History

### Pre low floor era

The Type 1 cars were manufactured by the Bombardier Corporation between 1983-1986. The cars were built for TriMet's new light rail line between Portland and Gresham. The first vehicle was completed at the factory in late 1983 and arrived in Portland in 1984.

The Type 1 entered service on September 5 1986, when the light rail line first opened. At the time, all type 1s were painted in TriMet's phase 2 paint scheme. These cars were originally equipped with stop-request bell cords (which are found on buses). Passengers needed to pull to signal the operator that they wanted to get off at the next stop. However, they were removed in 1994 after TriMet adopted an operating practice of having MAX trains stop at every station at all times. The bodies of the Type 1 vehicles include cutaway areas by each truck, for maintenance access. In 1995, TriMet began installing wheel skirts to cover these, to reduce noise, and said that these would be included on all LRVs purchased in the future. The Type 1s originally lacked air-conditioning, but it was added to all cars during a retrofit in 1997–98.

### Low floor and rebuild era

Originally, all type 1s were either paired together or operated as single cars. However in 1997, all type 1s were required to be paired with a type 2(the new light rail trains at the time). This was to ensure that all trains had low floor accessibility. Before then, each station required a wheel chair lift.

Starting in 2003, TriMet began a program to refurbish the bodies of the Type 1 cars. It included extensive body renovation, replacement of all windows, repainting into the phase 3 paint scheme, and minor interior refurbishment. The program proceeded at a slower pace than originally anticipated because of staffing issues, with only two cars being worked on at a time, and each taking one to two years. By 2018, when only 23 of the 26 cars had been completed, TriMet had terminated the program because, by that time, the Type 1 fleet was only a few years away from retirement. The last overhauled car, No. 112, returned to service in April 2018. The three cars that never received the body overhaul and repainting were 102, 103 and 116. These are currently the only type 1s still in their original phase 2 paint scheme.

For their first 30 years (until 2016) the Type 1 cars had roll-type, printed destination signs. The Type 1 cars were the only MAX cars whose roll signs were hand-cranked. Because of the time-consuming process to change the signs, only the sign on the exposed end of the car in a two-car train was changed to the correct destination. The side signs only listed the designated route color (such as "Blue Line") rather than a destination, and the sign on the coupled end of each car in a two-car train was left blank. A two-year program that began in October 2014 and was completed in September 2016 gradually replaced all of the roll signs in the Type 1 cars (as well as those in the Types 2 and 3) with digital, LED-type destination signs.

### End years

In February 2018, TriMet announced its intention to purchase replacements for all 26 Type 1 cars. In July 2019, TriMet ordered 26 new Type 6 trains. As of late 2023, most type 1s are still in service. 106 has been retired and is used as a parts train. In march 2022, train 120 reached the 2 million mile mark, making it the most travelled type 1 in the fleet. In October 2023, 102 became the first type 1 to be officially retired as part of the replacement program. This was followed by 108. Several type 1s have also been out of service for a while. 116 might be the next unit to retire.

## Significance of The Type 1

The type 1s are the very first light rail vehicles of the MAX light rail system. They are currently the only high floor vehicles in the entire TriMet fleet. They are also the oldest vehicles built for TriMet, being in service for 37 years as of 2023.