TriMet WES

[DET63]

Has anyone ridden on Portland, Ore.'s Westside Express Service (WES)? It's a DMU rather than an EMU or locomotive-hauled service.

Footage of the brand new Tri Met WES Units In Operation. These units were constructed by the Colorado Railcar Company, which now unfortunately has gone out of business. Note the absolutely amazing Leslie RS3K diesel airhorns on each of them. This footage was taken during a special week to celebrate the grand opening of the new commuter rail service. For more information about these units, visit this website:
http://trimet.org/wes/index.htm

 

[The Metropolitan]

Has anyone ridden on Portland, Ore.'s Westside Express Service (WES)? It's a DMU rather than an EMU or locomotive-hauled service.

Footage of the brand new Tri Met WES Units In Operation. These units were constructed by the Colorado Railcar Company, which now unfortunately has gone out of business. Note the absolutely amazing Leslie RS3K diesel airhorns on each of them. This footage was taken during a special week to celebrate the grand opening of the new commuter rail service. For more information about these units, visit this website:
http://trimet.org/wes/index.htm

Yes, did a round trip back in March.

The service seemed to run well the day I rode it, and was really pretty well patronized ( close to 50% full) considering it was a pretty new start up at the time - overheard pax wondering when the hours would expand to include weekends. Definitely recommended riding!

 

[DET63]

Another video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-nnLvuQ2T8

 

[DET63]

Empty WES trains hurting TriMet bottom line

Direct link to video

My problem with WES is that it seems to run between a couple of suburbs, requiring an interchange with buses or light rail (MAX) to get to downtown. I would have preferred to see a direct line to downtown Portland. But there are no existing railway lines from suburban west or southwest Portland to downtown. There are some lines that cross the Willamette and come in on the east side, and there's an old freight line (part of the historic United Railways, I believe) that follows a circuitous route through Cornelius Pass into northwest Portland, but a service along that line would probably add an hour or more to a trip that is 20-30 miles as the crow flies.

And I don't think the MAX Robertson Tunnel is suitable for DMU operation.

 

[zoltan]

I've only been able to use maps and pictures to look at this, given I live quite some way from Portland, but it seems that very costly new build would be the only way to achieve that direct downtown connection. I do think that that direct connection would pay off in providing a service that's completely brilliant, but the investment would need to be based on the foundation of a well used, successful WES system - something they can have, but will take a little time.

I dislike the way it's reported in the video posted by DET63, as it's ignoring the fact that once good transit is there, people's activities, the places they go and they look for work, and the way in which they organise their day's activities changes around it, and that takes a considerable amount of time; you can't expect a system to be fully successful within such a short time.

 

[the_traveler]

I rode WES when I was in PDX in July. I agree with the statement that it would be better if it actually went to downtown PDX.

Although I realize it is a commuter run, and only operates during rush hours on weekdays only, I wish it would operate at other times during the day and on weekends too! I was staying on the east side of Portland, and to get to Beaverton (where WES begins - and is on the west side of Portland), I had to board MAX from the airport at like 2:30 PM to get the 1st WES train at around 4 PM! Either that or leave at around 6 AM so I can get the last returning one in the morning! (And don't even think of doing it on Saturday and Sunday - because WES does not operate at all!)

 

[Guest]

I watched the video. the pr flack for Tri-Met sounds like the flacks here for CapMetro but @ least the trains are running!!

Dont these bean counter types get it that NO Transportation system pays for itself, its called for the common good!

CapMetro just mothballed the "free" Armadillo shuttles to save money, this with the ALC Music Fest going on and 100,000

tourists making gridlock downtown! Id take Portlands, or any other cities, mass transit in a minute over the gang that cant shoot straight here in Austin!

 

[greatcats]

I am staying at a friend's house in Beaverton prior to my trip to Japan, where I will be travelling armed with two three week rail passes. I took a ride on WES yesterday and it was a pleasant ride and was fairly well patronized. I identified myself as a former railroad employee and the crew was very friendly. It is a fourteen mile trip through the suburbs, and possibly might be extended 30 miles to Salem. The fleet at this time consists of three self propelled motor cars and one trailer, built b y Colorado Rail Corp, which then went bankrupt. I asked the engineer what happens if one of the motors breaks fdown, which happened earlier this week. ( Thee sets of equipment are need to maintain the 30 minute frequnecy. ) Answer: " Call in the buses. " He told me that two RDC's are being purchasded from the Alaska Railroad to be used as spares.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

He told me that two RDC's are being purchasded from the Alaska Railroad to be used as spares.

Interesting!

We were hoping for an opportunity to ride the WES next week, but given a look at the timetable, and the priority of seeing SP 4-8-4 4449 arrive back home from the Michigan steam festival (if posted schedule holds), things don't look so good on the DMU front.

 

[the_traveler]

We were hoping for an opportunity to ride the WES next week, but given a look at the timetable, and the priority of seeing SP 4-8-4 4449 arrive back home from the Michigan steam festival (if posted schedule holds), things don't look so good on the DMU front.

I agree.

The good thing is the connection between the Beaverton TC stop on MAX and the Beaverton stop on WES is no more than 50-100 feet. But the times that WES operates is hard to get to easily connect for a ride from Beaverton.

 

[greatcats]

The ride i took yesterday left beaverton at 5:05 and I returned less than 90 minutes later. The equipment is nice enough, although the motor is a little noisy from the inside. The cars lack restrooms and a fault of the setup is no no public restrooms at the Beaverton Transit Center. There is a portable in the bus parking lot at Wilsonville and a new station builing is under construction there.

 

[Phila 30th St]

I saw the new cars when I was in Portland last weekend...they look amazing!