Metropolitan Area Express (MAX)
Locale	Portland, OR
Transit type	Light rail
Began operation	September 5, 1986
System length	44. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) 3 mi (71. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States 3 km)
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	64
Daily ridership	104,200[1] (weekday)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) (standard gauge)
Reporting marks	TMTC
Operator(s)	TriMet

Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) is a light rail system in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. For the metropolitan area in Maine see Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is operated by TriMet and currently has three lines: Blue, Red and Yellow, with Green under construction and Orange planned. TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that The MAX Blue Line is a 33 mile (53 km Light rail route in the MAX Light Rail system in the Portland metropolitan area in the U The MAX Red Line is a route in the Metropolitan Area Express Light rail system in the Portland Oregon metropolitan area. The MAX Yellow Line is a 58 mile (93 km (not including segments downtown shared with other lines route in the Metropolitan Area Express Light rail system The MAX Green Line is an under construction Light rail route in the MAX Light Rail system in Portland Oregon, United States, extending The MAX Orange Line is a proposed Light rail route for the Metropolitan Area Express light rail system in Portland Oregon, USA.

As of late 2007, MAX is the fourth most ridden light rail system in the United States and the country's second most ridden standalone light rail system, after San Diego's. The following is a list of all Light rail systems in the United States ranked by ridership The San Diego Trolley is a trolley -style Light rail system operating in the metropolitan area of San Diego California. (The busiest light rail systems—Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles—are integrated with heavy rail subway networks. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway ) Since its inception about $3 billion has been invested in light rail in Portland. ^[2]

In central Portland and Hillsboro, MAX trains run in reserved lanes on surface streets, unlike the Portland Streetcar, which runs in mixed traffic. Hillsboro is a city in and the County seat of Washington County, Oregon, United States The Portland Streetcar is a Streetcar system in Portland Oregon that serves areas surrounding downtown. Outside the central city, MAX runs primarily within its own right-of-way fully separated from traffic. A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted – through an Easement or other mechanism – for Transportation purposes such as for a Rail line or

Some track segments are controlled by traffic signals at intersections, including the original segment along East Burnside Street and the newest segment along Interstate Ave. Other segments have gated crossings to give trains the right-of-way. A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another One three mile (4. 8 km) section is tunnel below Washington Park. The Robertson Tunnel is a Tunnel through the west hills of Portland Oregon, U While this section has only one station, it is 260 feet (79 m) below ground level, making it the deepest train station in North America and the second deepest train station in the world. Washington Park is a station in the MAX Light Rail system served by the Blue and Red lines ^[3]

Because of Portland's relatively small 200-foot (61 m) downtown blocks, trains operate with only one or two cars. A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of Urban planning and Urban design. The MAX cars are about 90 feet (27. 5 m) long, so a stopped train consisting of more than two cars would block intersections. Blue Line trains are typically two cars long. Trains on the Yellow and Red Line run in both one and two car configurations, though increasingly more Red and Yellow Line trains are two-car.

Lines and projects

Tri-Met MAX System Map

TriMet runs three MAX lines, each designated by a color. The MAX system was built in a series of four separate projects, each line runs over several of these project segments.

The central station is at Pioneer Courthouse Square, on the Portland Transit Mall. Pioneer Courthouse Square, affectionately known as Portland's living room, is a Public space occupying a full 40000 ft² (3700 m² City block in the center The Portland Transit Mall is a set of Public transportation corridors through the center of Downtown Portland Oregon, United States The stop is near the center of Fareless Square, a section in and around downtown Portland in which all MAX, TriMet bus, and Portland Streetcar transit rides are zero-fare. Fareless Square is an area within Portland Oregon where all TriMet bus MAX Light Rail and Portland Streetcar transit rides are Zero-fare Zero-fare Public transport services are funded in full by means other than collecting a Fare from passengers

Blue Line trains run every 10 minutes (15 minutes late nights and Sundays). Red Line and Yellow Line trains run every 15 minutes. Actual schedules vary by location and time of day. At many stations a live readerboard shows the destination and time-to-arrival of the next several trains.

In addition to regular MAX service, the Portland Vintage Trolley runs along the MAX line between the Galleria/Library stations and Lloyd Center. The Portland Vintage Trolley is a special heritage Streetcar service in Portland Oregon. Lloyd Center is a Shopping mall in the Lloyd District of Portland Oregon, United States, just northeast of downtown.

Rolling stock

The interior of a MAX car

There are currently three models of MAX cars.

The original Type 1 cars were manufactured by Bombardier Corporation and featured a raised floor with steps at the doors. Bombardier Inc (bɔ̃baʁdje is a Canadian conglomerate, founded by Joseph-Armand Bombardier as L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée in 1942 The interior design was similar to that of a bus.

With the partial opening of Westside MAX in 1997, new Type 2 cars made by Siemens were introduced. These cars have a low-floor design, a first in North America, digital readerboards, and open floor plan. The floor is nearly level with the platforms, and time-consuming wheelchair lifts were replaced with small ramps called 'bridge plates'. A railway platform is a section of pathway alongside Rail tracks at a Train station, Metro station or Tram stop, at which passengers may board A wheelchair lift, also known as a platform lift, is a powered device designed to raise a Wheelchair and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical Some of the later models had automatic passenger counters retrofitted; in these models, they are on the floor of the doorways. Retrofitting refers to the addition of new technology or features to older systems

Type 3 cars generally are identical to the Type 2 cars in design, but have TriMet's new paint scheme and some feature improvements. They were introduced when the Yellow Line opened in 2004, and include automatic passenger counters which are located above the doorways using photoelectric sensors. Introduction When a Metallic surface is exposed to Electromagnetic radiation above a certain threshold Frequency, the light is absorbed and Electrons

The MAX Green Line is planned to be served by 21 new Siemens Avanto vehicles designated Type 4 cars. The Avanto is a low-floor Tram manufactured by Siemens AG. It is used or on order by several systems in the United States and for Tram-train They will feature a more streamlined design than previous models, offer larger windows and more seating. ^[4]

Portland MAX Light Rail Cars

Designation	Car numbers	Manufacturer	First used	Capacity	# in fleet
Type 1	1xx	Bombardier	1986	166	26
Type 2	2xx	Siemens	1997	166	52
Type 3	3xx	Siemens	2004	166	27
Type 4	4xx	Siemens	2008	232	21

Fares

MAX uses a proof-of-payment system; riders must carry a receipt at all times. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Proof-of-payment or POP is an honor -based Fare collection approach used on many Public transportation systems Fares are purchased before boarding, and receipt is retained as proof of paid fare. Passengers must board the train before the receipt's expiration, and are allowed to ride past the time on the receipt, provided the train was boarded before the expiration time. Receipts are good for 2 hours after purchase, and can be used an unlimited number of times, for travel in any direction, as well as for buses, Portland Streetcar, and C-TRAN. MAX fares (as of September 1, 2007) are:

• All Zone: $2. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 05 (Valid for any ride within time-stamp)

Tri-Met MAX Ticket Machine, older style. Inset is close-up of fare selection, and a ticket validator.

2 hour youth ticket printed from Ticket Machine. Front (right) and back (left)

• 1 and 2 Zone: $1. 75
• Honored Citizen: $0. 85 (disabled and elderly passengers)
• Youth: $1. 40 (ages 7-17 and students in high school or pursuing a GED). Must show proof of age or student status if asked.
• LIFT Paratransit All Zone: $1. 70
• Children under 7: Free when accompanied by fare paying passenger
• Day Pass: $4. 25 (Valid all day, and for all zones)

Many MAX stations also serve bus routes, and as the tickets for MAX are valid for the buses as well. Riding is free in fareless square which includes most of downtown and the Lloyd Center area.

Proposed lines & extensions

A Red Line train on the Banfield Mainline next to Interstate 84

Under Construction

Portland Mall: Rose Quarter TC - PSU South/SW College Street

Proposed opening: September 10, 2009, length: 1. The MAX Red Line is a route in the Metropolitan Area Express Light rail system in the Portland Oregon metropolitan area. In the US state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east-west following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories. 8 mi (2. 9 km), stations: 14

MAX Green Line (and re-routed Yellow line) along downtown Transit Mall (north-south through downtown)

I-205 Green Line: Gateway TC - Clackamas Town Center

Proposed opening: September 10, 2009, length: 6. The MAX Green Line is an under construction Light rail route in the MAX Light Rail system in Portland Oregon, United States, extending Clackamas Town Center is a Shopping mall in Clackamas Oregon. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories. 5 mi (10. 5 km), stations: 8

MAX Green Line to Clackamas Town Center via the existing partially built I-205 Transitway

• MAX Red Line Extension to Merlo/SW 158th Ave in September 2008

On the drawing board

• MAX Orange Line (PSU South/SW Jackson Street - Lake Road)(Uses Transit Mall to Union Station)

Proposed opening: September 10, 2014, length: 6. The I-205 Transitway is a partially-built Busway along the wide right-of-way of the Interstate 205 Freeway in Portland Oregon. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. 2014 ( MMXIV) will be a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. 3 mi (10. 1 km), stations: 11

MAX Orange Line to Milwaukie via UP (former SP) rail line corridor. The Orange Line may be an extension of the Yellow Line, however some reports have indicated it will be a separate line.

• MAX Red Line Extension to Willow Creek/SW 185th Ave in 2011

Rumored or briefly mentioned

• Blue Line to Mount Hood Community College in Gresham
• Blue Line to Forest Grove
• Line via Barbur Blvd. Mt Hood Community College (MHCC is a public Community college in Gresham Oregon, United States.
• Line via Powell/Foster Blvd
• Line to Damascus & Boring
• Extension from Milwaukie and/or Clackamas Town Center to Oregon City
• Line to Vancouver, WA, possibly integrated with the Columbia Crossing project

MAX in films

• What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? (2004, dir. The Interstate Bridge (also Columbia River Interstate Bridge, I-5 Bridge, Portland-Vancouver Interstate Bridge) is a pair of nearly identical steel What the Bleep Do We Know!? (also written What tнe #$*! Dө ωΣ (kπow!? and What the #$*! Do We Know!?) is a 2004 film which William Arntz and Betty Chasse): Goose Hollow/Southwest Jefferson Street bird's-eye view and on the westbound platform; brief clips of Robertson Tunnel; Washington Park on the eastbound platform; a brief clip taken from an eastbound MAX train on Southwest 1st Avenue between Yamhill District and Old Town/Chinatown; a couple of scenes filmed aboard a westbound train on the Steel Bridge between Rose Quarter Transit Center and Old Town/Chinatown. The Robertson Tunnel is a Tunnel through the west hills of Portland Oregon, U Washington Park is a station in the MAX Light Rail system served by the Blue and Red lines The Steel Bridge is a Through truss, double lift Bridge across the Willamette River in Portland Oregon, United States. Actual Type-2 cars were used in filming of this movie.

• The Hunted (2003, dir. The Hunted is a 2003 Film directed by William Friedkin and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro. William Friedkin): an imitation Type-1 train (although the train is numbered "103 and 301") on the Hawthorne Bridge (where there are no tracks, visual effects were used to make tracks appear in the film) complete with a KOIN-TV advertisement prominently featuring the KOIN news anchor Jeff Gianola, who also plays the role of a TV news reporter in this film. William Friedkin (born August 29 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Academy Award-winning American movie and television director The Hawthorne Bridge is a Truss bridge with a vertical lift that spans the Willamette River in Portland Oregon, joining Hawthorne KOIN ("KOIN Local 6" is the CBS television affiliate serving the Portland metropolitan area. Jeff Gianola (born October 2, 1955) is the head news anchor for KOIN News 6 in Portland OR. The simulated MAX car prop was built from two discarded TriMet articulated buses. Articulated buses (either motorbuses or Trolleybuses) also known as tandem buses, bendy buses, banana buses, slinky buses or The bus was used extensively to transport commuters between Portland and Westside suburbs, on the 12 Sandy Blvd, the 57 Forest Grove route, the now defunct 58 Sunset Limited and select express routes until the 1998 extension of MAX Blue Line replaced the articulated bus service. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Washington County is one of 36 counties in the US state of Oregon. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)
• Zero Effect (1998, dir. Zero Effect is a 1998 film directed by Jake Kasdan (son of famed Hollywood writer/director Lawrence Kasdan) starring Bill Pullman as 'the world's Jake Kasdan): the wealthy blackmailed timber tycoon is directed by his blackmailer to board the train with a three-digit number delivered to his pager while on his way to deliver his next payment. Jake Kasdan (born Jacob Kasdan 1974 is a Golden Globe nominated American television and film director A MAX train, with the painted number 119 and "Portland" displayed on its sign, pulls up to him. He is then shown on the train for about 15 seconds. As the movie is set in Portland, MAX train bells can be heard in the background throughout.
• Kurt and Courtney. Kurt and Courtney is a 1998 documentary film about Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, made by Nick Broomfield. A MAX train is shown going the other way on Interstate 84 briefly.
• Free Willy. Free Willy is a 1993 Family film directed by Simon Wincer, and released by Warner Bros A MAX train is seen in the background at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

See also

• List of rapid transit systems
• Transportation in Portland
• Westside Express Service (formerly Washington County Commuter Rail)
• Mount Hood Freeway

References

External links

• TriMet's MAX pages
• Station to Station, a series of articles about the MAX from 2004, originally published in the Portland Tribune
• MAX Light Rail at nycsubway.org
• Puget Sound Transportation Projects - Portland MAX
• Railway Technology - Portland MAX Light Rail