Portland gathers to pay respects to the last of its original light rail cars

The TriMet agency has fully replaced its aging fleet of Type 1 cars.

1 minute read

April 20, 2026, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


A TriMet MAX light rail Type 1 train on street in Portland, Oregon in front of brick buildings.

A TriMet MAX train. | Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

Hundreds of Portland residents attended an event officially decommissioning the last of TriMet's Type 1 MAX trains, reports Abby Davis for Fox 12.

Children and adults alike attended the celebration, some dressed in costume as the iconic trains. "Event attendees also had the opportunity to sign the Type 1 on display. Community members told FOX 12 it is bittersweet – reliving history and reflecting on how the trains have helped shape public transportation in the region."

The Type 1 trains were among the oldest operating light rail vehicles in any U.S. fleet, Davis adds, and replacement parts were becoming difficult to acquire. The agency has been replacing them with new Type 6s vehicles since 2024.

Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Fox 12

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