Westside MAX

Station-by-Station

As part of Westside MAX, the Yamhill/Morrison tracks were extended west from the Eastside MAX alignment to merge again at SW 18th street, tracks then continue through the Goose Hollow neighborhood.

Crossing over I-405, trains leave Portland's Fareless Square and end up at the first station, PGE Park. Although this station has Yamhill and Morrison street platforms, the station managed to get away with having one name. The westbound platform contains a pocket track and side platform for special events.

The station was named after the nearby baseball stadium, formerly known as Civic Stadium. When the name of the ballpark changed, so did the station's name. Regardless, many Portlanders still refer to both this stop and the ball park by that name.

The two tracks merge, moving south on SW 18th Street, stopping a block away at Kings Hill/SW Salmon. This island platform sometimes is closed during big events at PGE Park, but serves Lincoln High School and the Multnomah Athletic Club. Near this station, "Simpsons" creator and Lincoln High graduate Matt Groening drew Bart Simpson into the concrete sidewalk along 18th for the Westside MAX art team.

Tracks curve west through the intersection of 18th and Jefferson St. This forms a roundabout, of sorts, for auto traffic called Collins Circle. Trains pass trough a slice of the circle. Directly after Collins Circle is the Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson station. Former Portland Mayor Bud Clark, a big supporter of Light Rail, owns the Goose Hollow Inn tavern across the street from the station. After stopping at Goose Hollow, trains follow Jefferson Street west, pass under the Vista Bridge, and descend into the Robertson Tunnel portal.

This three mile long tunnel consists of three interconnected tubes: two for tracks in each direction, and an emergency/access tube. This was the most difficult part of the 1998 Westside MAX project. Dug by boring the tubes from both ends and meeting in the middle, the project suffered setbacks when the eastern side drilling team experienced tougher rock to drill through.

The tunnel's only station, and the closest thing Portland has to a subway, is Washington Park. This station serves the popular Oregon Zoo, Children's Museum, World Forestry Center, and International Rose Test Gardens above. At 260 feet below the surface, Washington Park station is the deepest transit station in North America, and the second deepest in the world (Moscow, Russia has the deepest).

Four high speed elevators connect the MAX station to the surface. The elevator trip up or down takes less than 5 minutes. What "floor" the elevator car is on is displayed as feet above sea level. Indicators both at the surface and in the tunnel display the elevator's progress as moving through time, based upon the type of soil the elevator shafts were dig through.

Artwork above and below utilizes drill core samples taken before construction began. One sample is enclosed in a tube along the platform walls, displayed as a timeline of geologic history. On the surface, a circular sample from the tunnel boring machine is on display.

Also interesting is that year round, the station remains at an average temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Although over a mile away from the nearest portals, trains can be heard at the station as soon as they enter the tunnel. When a train approaches, it pushes a gust of cold wind ahead of it.

Trains exit the Robertson Tunnel in the west near Golf Creek. A spare pocket track exists here to allow for train storage or for trains to "terminate" at Washington Park station for special events.

Continuing west, tracks parallel the busy US Highway 26, also known as the Sunset Highway. After crossing an overpass, then an underpass, trains enter the Sunset Transit Center, an open-cut, side platform station below grade. Stairs and elevators connect the platforms to the bus bays, parking garage, and a skybridge above. The transit center is laid out to mimic the rays of the sun.

Trains directly enter a 600 ft. "horseshoe" tunnel, so named as it takes tracks under Hwy. 26 in nearly a half-circle. Emerging from this portal, the tracks run parallel to Oregon Hwy. 217 into Beaverton. At about the Canyon Road exit, tracks move southwest into Beaverton Transit Center.

This station serves as a hub for bus service, as well as the terminus for the MAX Red Line. A glass clock tower pavilion surrounded by bus bays directly to the south. A future commuter rail line south to Wilsonville will terminate on the other side of the center pavilion. Airport MAX trains terminate on the center "pocket" track and those boarding or deboarding the Red Line access trains on the center platform. The transit center is also connected to a neighboring shopping center.

The next station is Beaverton Central, set in a new development known as The Round at Beaverton Central. The development consists of office and condo buildings set in a large circular plaza around the MAX station. Construction on The Round began in 1998, but sat unfinished due to the bankruptcy of the developers. Thankfully, the City of Beaverton stepped in and arranged for the project to be completed. The first phase was opened in 2002. While this project sat dormant, the MAX station was open, but fenced in, to serve Cedar Hills Blvd. to the west.

Here, the Westside MAX line begins to follow the old Oregon Electric Railroad's former Portland-Forrest Grove interurban line right-of-way. This old rail route is followed for the rest of the route. Millikan Way is the next stop, set in wetlands and the Tektronix Campus. This station also serves many office parks, some of which link themselves to the MAX station by shuttle bus. This station's artwork reflects the mixing of nature with high technology.

Beaverton Creek is located near newly developed apartment communities and office parks. Woods directly to the north separate the Nike World Campus from the station. A heavy rail spur here was retained to serve light industrial customers and bring new MAX vehicles delivered by rail into the Elmonica yards. The spur line runs parallel to the MAX station, so riders must cross these tracks to access the station.

Merlo Road/SW 158th provides a connection to the Tualatin Hills Nature Park. TriMet's Merlo Bus Garage is located directly south of the station. The ramp that is used to bring MAX cars off flatbed rail cars can be seen to the east of here.

The next station, Elmonica/SW 170th, is named after a stop on the old OER route. This station serves a park and ride lot and new apartment developments. The history of this stop is reflected in the station's artwork. This station is named after an old OER stop here. The Elmonica Maintenance Facility is directly east of the station. This facility is the Westside maintenance and storage equivalent of the Ruby Junction Yards.

Willow Creek/SW 185th Transit Center is set among cherry trees and pink stone benches. Artwork reflects a theme of literacy, as Washington County's library system was supposed to build a new library here. Unfortunately, the plans did not materialize. Instead a large new apartment community has sprang up around the Park and Ride lot.

Willow Creek was initially going to be the end of the Westside line in early plans. However, the population growth of Washington County and the expansion of high-tech employers into the area prompted the inclusion of Hillsboro into the project.

185th Avenue marks the boundary between Hillsboro and Beaverton, however the land between the two cities was mostly undeveloped at the time Westside MAX was in planning. However, big-name high tech companies, such as Intel, had all ready built large manufacturing plants in the area. This earned the area the nickname of the "Silicon Forest", and provided the impetus to take the Westside line into Hillsboro proper.

The first station, Quatama/NW 205th, prompted the rapid development of the areas surrounding the station. Artwork here refers to wetlands, the most visible pieces being several large cattails, and a unique rainwater drainage sculpture.

Orenco/NW 231st also prompted a large building boom, as it sits near to Intel's Rondler Acres Plant. This area previously had been based a small town by the name of Orenco, but is now applied to the area north of the station as well. The award-winning Orenco Station, a mixed-use development, is mostly built-out. Office complexes have also sprouted up around the Rondler Acres and Orenco station sites.

Hawthorn Farm to the west is named after the Intel Plant directly north of the station. The artwork at this station is quite impressive, as the features interact with incoming trains. Chimes will play and the sound of a train wooshing by is broadcast as a train nears.

The Washington County Fair Complex is directly served at the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport station. The Port of Portland Hillsboro Airport is a walk across the fairgrounds, which is a large city park when the fair is over. There are large crowds here in the summer months, as the fair and the Rose Festival Air Show attract many people to the events. A "pocket" track is located to the west for extra train storage. A large trophy structure on the platform reads "World's Best", symbolizing competition and sportsmanship.

Trains enter Hillsboro proper over the Main Street Bridge. This unique arch bridge breaks traditional overpass construction techniques and provides an unique gateway into the city. The Golden Spike for the Westside line was laid on the bridge in 1998.

Tracks continue into Hillsboro starting at the Washington/SE 12th Avenue station. This side platform station is almost southwestern in theme, featuring mosaic tiled walls and benches. Each tile on the westbound platform wall was designed by members of the community.

The tie-and-ballast tracks change to red-brick paved tracks shortly west of this station, as they continue in the median of Washington Street. Automobile traffic is only allowed to access the tracks to make left turns into driveways. Tuality Hospital/SE 8th station is an island station in the median. The station features an uplifting theme of health and healing. This is symbolized by metal doves paved into the platform and plants used in traditional healing. Employees at Tuality Community Hospital, 1 block to the south, frequently use this station.

Trains enter the downtown core of Hillsboro, stopping at the Hillsboro Central/SE 3rd Transit Center. This station sits directly on the site of the old Oregon Electric station that once served Hillsboro. History plays an important role in the theme of this station, as it looks just like an old railroad station. Artwork reflects the agricultural past and high tech future of Hillsboro.

Tracks continue west, then veer to the north at Adams Street. A switch before the curves allows trains to access Hatfield Government Center, the western Blue Line terminus. A large park and ride garage was built to serve commuters. The area around this station is developing into a large complex of civic and county offices. Washington County Sheriff's offices, the county jail, courthouse, and other offices are nearby. Hillsboro has begun a large civic center project, relocating offices nearer to Washington Street. Unlike the east end of the line, tracks directly end inside this station. There are three tracks and platforms for trains. The center platform is currently the only active platform. It is unclear how this station would be configured in the event of a possible extension further west to Forest Grove. Trains lay over to give operators time to take a break and keep the timetable. Once ready to go, the operator switches to the front cab, programs the route into the trip computer, and takes off back to Gresham.