TriMet’s new light rail vehicles (purchased to build up the fleet for the upcoming Green Line service) have been described as “sleek” and “sexy.” As I started watching them in operation, noting that the new cars only have operator controls at one end, I realized there’s a snag in this plan.
Currently, when one car of a two-car train has problems, TriMet staff can decouple the cars, set one of the cars into a side track out of service, and continue service with the remaining car. With the new cars and only one direction for controls, I wondered what would happen given a malfunction with one of the cars. I posed the question to TriMet’s public relations person, Bekki Witt, and she confirmed:
I verified that the two-car consist would be taken out of service together, even if there was a problem with just one of the cars.
In related news: tonight as I got off the train at Gateway, there was a two-car set of the new vehicles in the side track, out of service.
Did style win over function?
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But taking out the operator’s cab gives more room for passengers.
It seems more capacity is well worth the chance that an entire train might have to be taken out of service.
Yup, more capacity FTW. I love these new trains. I know it’s raining, but why rain on the parade?
I looked into the capacity. According to TriMet, the new cars have 4 more seats than the old ones.
I read this on that site:
“What’s new
The first thing you’ll notice is their aerodynamic styling, with rounded corners and a sloping front end. At roughly 191 feet, they’re about seven feet longer than our older MAX vehicles. Each car has only one operator cab, so you’ll always see two cars coupled together.
On board, the “open” floor plan leaves more room for riders. There are 8 more seats per train, plus additional standing room. While existing MAX trains were designed to carry up to 332 riders, these can carry 344. Plus, you’ll notice a more comfortable ride: When the train stops, it’s nice and smooth.”
Yep. 4 more seats per car x 2 car train = 8 more seats per train.
Last one I promise:
344-322=22
Ha, I used the wrong #’s!!
344-332=12
I am headed to Churches Chicken.
Where’s Church’s?
I’m so wishing we had a Roscoe’s.
The new trains are nice and all, but the announcer is so loud, you can’t think.
You will see many New “Type 4’s” Not In Service for some time yet. TriMet is still burning in the new cars not ready for revenue service.
I think TriMet was trying to increase the capacity of the light rail vehicles. Since most trains are run with 2 cars, the extra cab is more or less just wasted space. I can see why they ordered them the way they did, and since the city blocks can only hold 2 cars this is the only thing they really can do to add capacity (other then running more trains).
I’ve been on several type 1-3 trains where 1 car did break down, however I’ve never seen them decouple them and move all passengers to the working car, in my experience when 1 car breaks down, they just shut down the entire train and make the passengers wait for another one.
Oh snap! Looks like you got ‘em here, sleuth.
The new trains are crap. They have poor leg room and generally have a low ceiling cramped feel to them. How many seats would only be fit for a gnome.
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