Bombardier Type 1 LRV 110

Location: Old Town/Chinatown Station, Portland, OR
Operator of Vehicle: TriMet
Date of Photo: August 2, 2007

Recently, TriMet shared photos of its Type 6 rolling stock, currently being manufactured by Siemens.  The 26 Type 6 LRVs are expected to enter in service in 2022, replacing the original 26 Type 1 LRV cars ordered for the opening of the Portland light rail network in 1986.  These cars, the only Portland LRV cars to not be manufactured by Siemens, have seen a number of changes over the course of their 35 year careers.  Originally, they came equipped with stop request cords that passengers had to use in order to have the train operator stop at stations to alight, just like on a bus.  The Type 1s also lacked air conditioning until it was added during a retrofit in the late 1990s.  More recently, most of the fleet underwent a body overhaul program carried out by Trimet employees.  Finally, the Type 1s had their rollsigns replaced with LED signage in 2016 and 2017.  

When I was in Portland in 2007, the Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 cars were the only ones in service.  I have yet to visit Portland since the Type 4 and Type 5 cars entered service.  The Type 6 cars will be almost identical to the Type 5 cars, but will have cabs at each end of the car, rather than just at one end.

For more photos of Trimet MAX Light Rail Rolling Stock, please click here.