PORTLAND, Ore. — MAX train riders could see 26 new and improved trains by the end of the year, according to TriMet. Not only will they be decked out with the latest equipment and technology, but they’ll also be more accessible for people with disabilities.
These will be TriMet’s sixth generation MAX train, appropriately dubbed the Type 6 train, which was introduced to Portlanders on Monday.
Many people with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, rely solely on the MAX to get around. Some say they’re looking forward to the inclusive touches these new trains will bring them.
“It was very important,” said Franklin Ouchida, a MAX rider in a wheelchair. “I’ve been anticipating the (Type) 6 for a long time.”
Like thousands of Portlanders, Ouchida rides the MAX and has for years. He told KGW that he’s excited about the inclusivity these new trains will bring, featuring designated disabled spots and longer ramps to ride his wheelchair on.
“I’m part of a hiking group that needs transportation to different areas,” said Ouchida. “We like to hike this trail here, and that’s with Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection.”
Ouchida is one of the hundreds of people who traveled to the Milwaukie MAX station in Southeast Portland on Sunday for a sneak peek at the Type 6.
“The Type 6, it’s going to be the train that will replace our Type 1s,” said TriMet public information officer Tyler Graf. “The Type 1s are the trains that have been on the light rail system from the very beginning — we introduced them in 1986.”
Graf said that the Type Six will have operator cabs at both ends of the train, new digital signs showing the next MAX stop and improvements in temperature control inside the train.
“The doors are different as well,” adds Graf. “We have lights around the doors that show a visual cue to show when the doors can be open and when they’re closing.”
TriMet hopes to have all 26 Type 6 trains out of the testing phase by the end of the year, something Noah Lacomton is eager to see.
“I have autism,” said Lacomton. “And I’ve been riding the MAX since I was a tiny baby.”
TriMet plans to buy four additional trains for their Better Red Max Extension and Reliability Project. It’s a three-year project upgrade for the Max Red Line to better serve 10 more stations and improve schedule reliability for the entire MAX system.