After experiencing a significant disruption caused by electrical outages, the Portland MAX and Streetcar services have now returned to regular operation. The incident, which occurred on Saturday afternoon, left multiple MAX lines impacted and resulted in widespread disruptions to public transportation in Portland’s central city.
According to a spokesperson from Portland Streetcar, the crew successfully repaired the overhead catenary system issue late on Saturday night. As part of the restoration process, a test vehicle was moved through the affected area in both directions, ensuring that the system was functioning properly.
Portland Streetcar initially announced the suspension of service in the afternoon due to heat-related power outages occurring throughout the system. In a tweet, they stated, “All streetcar service is being suspended this afternoon until power is reliably restored.” They also informed riders that TriMet buses were serving streetcar stops, albeit with longer than usual wait times due to limited availability.
Around the same time, TriMet reported an issue with the overhead wire near Portland State University, which had disrupted the MAX Green, Orange, and Yellow lines. The Green Line continued operating between Clackamas Town Center and the Rose Quarter, with shuttle buses filling the gap between the Rose Quarter transit center and the Galleria/SW 10th Avenue.
For the MAX Orange and Yellow lines, TriMet arranged for shuttle buses to serve stations between Interstate/Rose Quarter and Clinton/SE 12th Avenue. The cause of the overhead line issue at PSU is still under investigation, and TriMet stated that it was too early to determine if it was heat-related.
Despite the incident occurring at Southwest 5th and Mill, an intersection shared by MAX and Portland Streetcar, TriMet indicated that the issues faced by both services appeared to be unrelated. TriMet also confirmed that there was no reported damage to the trains or the pantograph, the equipment that connects the train to the overhead wires. Repair crews worked diligently to restore MAX service as quickly as possible.