Onboard one of the last DMUs produces by Colorado Railcar! Portland's unique commuter review
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Date: 2024-01-09
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Comments and reviews: 35
-willgearhart6985
Great video! It's great you highlight smaller systems. Quick notes, though: They always ran single-unit trains, this did not change because of the pandemic (Although perhaps they have suspended use of 2001, the unpowered trailer car which usually runs with either 1001, 1002, or 1003. The Budd cars are always operated as a pair. Before the pandemic, trains were operated every 20 minutes during peak times; WES has never operated off-peak or on weekends or holidays. Fun fact: in December 2020, it cost TriMet (and P&W) over $108 per passenger to operate WES, not including general or administrative costs. It is usually about $20. Compare that to the full fare of $2. 50 and the reduced fare (youth/senior etc) of $1. 25.
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Great video! It's great you highlight smaller systems. Quick notes, though: They always ran single-unit trains, this did not change because of the pandemic (Although perhaps they have suspended use of 2001, the unpowered trailer car which usually runs with either 1001, 1002, or 1003. The Budd cars are always operated as a pair. Before the pandemic, trains were operated every 20 minutes during peak times; WES has never operated off-peak or on weekends or holidays. Fun fact: in December 2020, it cost TriMet (and P&W) over $108 per passenger to operate WES, not including general or administrative costs. It is usually about $20. Compare that to the full fare of $2. 50 and the reduced fare (youth/senior etc) of $1. 25.
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-frenchgrama
For your interest, a lot of people who watch train journey videos watch them so that they can see the scenery of the area or country the train is travelling in. I live in Australia where the scenery is NOTHING like Europe, North America or Canada and so I am MORE interested in seeing the countries and and passing landscape that the trains are travelling through. I am interested in the trains too but only as far as knowing how comfortable/affordable they would be and most importantly the countries or regions they are travelling to.
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For your interest, a lot of people who watch train journey videos watch them so that they can see the scenery of the area or country the train is travelling in. I live in Australia where the scenery is NOTHING like Europe, North America or Canada and so I am MORE interested in seeing the countries and and passing landscape that the trains are travelling through. I am interested in the trains too but only as far as knowing how comfortable/affordable they would be and most importantly the countries or regions they are travelling to.
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-corderajones
This line is a complete waste of money. The line go to nowhere and connects to nothing at all. This line was approved to shut up the rich white folks in the suburbs. They didn-t want light rail because too many poor people rode it, so they went with commuter rail that only runs during peak times. But guess what they are getting light rail anyways, thanks to the new Southwest light rail line. Lol jokes on you
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This line is a complete waste of money. The line go to nowhere and connects to nothing at all. This line was approved to shut up the rich white folks in the suburbs. They didn-t want light rail because too many poor people rode it, so they went with commuter rail that only runs during peak times. But guess what they are getting light rail anyways, thanks to the new Southwest light rail line. Lol jokes on you
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-joevalentine2048
I can tell you that the FRA may be deciding to allow loud horns and bells since one well to do town in northern NJ banned their use at after 7 pm. As a result several teenagers were on the tracks around a curve and were killed. I wonder if those demanding silence regret it. The engineer was only allowed to sound a warning when he actually saw someone one the tracks. By then it was too late.
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I can tell you that the FRA may be deciding to allow loud horns and bells since one well to do town in northern NJ banned their use at after 7 pm. As a result several teenagers were on the tracks around a curve and were killed. I wonder if those demanding silence regret it. The engineer was only allowed to sound a warning when he actually saw someone one the tracks. By then it was too late.
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-MervynPartin
That was an extremely interesting video, which covered a lot of facts about the line and the railcar. I have never seen a terminal track layout like that before now. As for the seats, they look far more comfortable than the seats on the British intercity express trains (but they were specified by the idiots in our Department for Transport. A pity that Colorado Railcar is no more.
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That was an extremely interesting video, which covered a lot of facts about the line and the railcar. I have never seen a terminal track layout like that before now. As for the seats, they look far more comfortable than the seats on the British intercity express trains (but they were specified by the idiots in our Department for Transport. A pity that Colorado Railcar is no more.
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-jdrailfan391
2: 02 Are you specifically talking about the Wes locomotive 1001, or just the Wes locomotives in general?
Edit: It seems you were talking a about all of them. Except for the Budd cats I-m assuming, which I-m surprised you didn-t mention them in the video. If you didn-t know, yes, the Wes also uses Budd cars, but it-s rarer to see them, and usually they just use their DMUs.
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2: 02 Are you specifically talking about the Wes locomotive 1001, or just the Wes locomotives in general?
Edit: It seems you were talking a about all of them. Except for the Budd cats I-m assuming, which I-m surprised you didn-t mention them in the video. If you didn-t know, yes, the Wes also uses Budd cars, but it-s rarer to see them, and usually they just use their DMUs.
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-jamesmeppler6375
The Colorado company really sucked. They were always asking trimet for more money and always late. Trimet had to take over their company to get ANY trains to us at all. It was cheaper and better to get them from Canada or Europe than to get a train seen here from the Colorado train company
Nice to see beaverton, its rarely mentioned when talking about portland
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The Colorado company really sucked. They were always asking trimet for more money and always late. Trimet had to take over their company to get ANY trains to us at all. It was cheaper and better to get them from Canada or Europe than to get a train seen here from the Colorado train company
Nice to see beaverton, its rarely mentioned when talking about portland
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-AJtheRatty
In normal operation WES runs only one two unit set (one powered, one non-powered) on the schedule, with two other powered units each running as a single unit consist as depicted in the video. Overall, WES owns the 3 powered units, 1 matching non-powered unit, and a former Metra BUDD RDC set for backup service when a regular power unit is in the shop.
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In normal operation WES runs only one two unit set (one powered, one non-powered) on the schedule, with two other powered units each running as a single unit consist as depicted in the video. Overall, WES owns the 3 powered units, 1 matching non-powered unit, and a former Metra BUDD RDC set for backup service when a regular power unit is in the shop.
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-aliaslisabeth1031
No one seems to mention that this is a former interurban railway, the former Oregon Electric. It used to run all the way to Salem and Eugene. Much of the Blue Line LRT is also former OE, except the entry into Portland and the street running section, of course. OE passenger service ended in 1933, and all electric operation ceased in 1945.
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No one seems to mention that this is a former interurban railway, the former Oregon Electric. It used to run all the way to Salem and Eugene. Much of the Blue Line LRT is also former OE, except the entry into Portland and the street running section, of course. OE passenger service ended in 1933, and all electric operation ceased in 1945.
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-FranceHopper
Hop tickets are actually good for 2. 5 hours; ) TriMet ended up effectively buying Colorado Railcar because of their financial issues. WES is pretty decent, especially considering it-s a TriMet service, but really needs to run more if it ever wants to make ridership goals. The WiFi is surprisingly solid for US rail.
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Hop tickets are actually good for 2. 5 hours; ) TriMet ended up effectively buying Colorado Railcar because of their financial issues. WES is pretty decent, especially considering it-s a TriMet service, but really needs to run more if it ever wants to make ridership goals. The WiFi is surprisingly solid for US rail.
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-mj1234321
Great capture of an interesting and rare piece of railway history. I got to ride aboard the prototype Colorado Railcar DMU when they demonstrated it on the Princeton (NJ) branch back in '04. That one was later lost to a fire, but I'm glad to see the only other single level versions produced are still running here.
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Great capture of an interesting and rare piece of railway history. I got to ride aboard the prototype Colorado Railcar DMU when they demonstrated it on the Princeton (NJ) branch back in '04. That one was later lost to a fire, but I'm glad to see the only other single level versions produced are still running here.
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-astrofabio68
oh boy I really envy you! I love trains but sadly in South America the 90% of trains are gone. specially in Uruguay, a country with great net of railways and now reduced a few kms. very sad. when I was in US in 2002 I made a trip from NY to Atlanta in Amtrak crescent train
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oh boy I really envy you! I love trains but sadly in South America the 90% of trains are gone. specially in Uruguay, a country with great net of railways and now reduced a few kms. very sad. when I was in US in 2002 I made a trip from NY to Atlanta in Amtrak crescent train
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-MrBnsftrain
I had no idea these units had a cab at the flat end so they could run independently
No many rail lines here in North America use DMUs, but most that do use European rolling stock (the eBART, NJT's River Line, San Diego Sprinter, Ottowa O-Train, and two lines in Texas)
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I had no idea these units had a cab at the flat end so they could run independently
No many rail lines here in North America use DMUs, but most that do use European rolling stock (the eBART, NJT's River Line, San Diego Sprinter, Ottowa O-Train, and two lines in Texas)
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-Greatdome99
The strange track layout at train platforms is commonly called a -gantlet track. - Freight railroads often use them not to widen clearances but just the opposite: to allow two separate tracks to join together inside bridges and tunnels where clearances are tight.
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The strange track layout at train platforms is commonly called a -gantlet track. - Freight railroads often use them not to widen clearances but just the opposite: to allow two separate tracks to join together inside bridges and tunnels where clearances are tight.
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-andrewhurricane
It sure looks like a product you would see on a regional or intercity route in the EU. Those Colorado built trains really are a treasure! Dramatically over engineered. TriMet is definitely not a customer in need of a train capable of acceleration to 90 MPH!
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It sure looks like a product you would see on a regional or intercity route in the EU. Those Colorado built trains really are a treasure! Dramatically over engineered. TriMet is definitely not a customer in need of a train capable of acceleration to 90 MPH!
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train
That whole railcar looks like such a blast from the past. Not in a bad way, it's just surprising (and a little telling for the US rail industry) that they were building a unit like that, when something like the SNCF X73500 had already been in service half a decade.
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That whole railcar looks like such a blast from the past. Not in a bad way, it's just surprising (and a little telling for the US rail industry) that they were building a unit like that, when something like the SNCF X73500 had already been in service half a decade.
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-albawutz
Very interesting. The 2 cars unit but still the command window in the middle. The DB used to have command cars without streamlined cabin in the fifties. First time i saw tracks with points just to get closer to a platform. Nice short movie
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Very interesting. The 2 cars unit but still the command window in the middle. The DB used to have command cars without streamlined cabin in the fifties. First time i saw tracks with points just to get closer to a platform. Nice short movie
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-rkeys8891
Love your train videos. It's nice seeing trains from around Europe and America. I hope you come to Canada one day and ride the VIA Rail or one of the commuter trains in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.
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Love your train videos. It's nice seeing trains from around Europe and America. I hope you come to Canada one day and ride the VIA Rail or one of the commuter trains in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.
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-spredelectric
3: 35: The train is limited to a top speed of 60 MPH, not 37 MPH. 60 MPH/100 Km/H. I'm not sure what the mechanical top speed is, but per the timetable and track conditions, the top speed is 60.
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3: 35: The train is limited to a top speed of 60 MPH, not 37 MPH. 60 MPH/100 Km/H. I'm not sure what the mechanical top speed is, but per the timetable and track conditions, the top speed is 60.
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-trainzguy2472
Colorado Railcar sort of still exists, as US Railcar. They haven't produced anything since 2008 though. I think their trains are really unique and would like to see them on other operations!
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Colorado Railcar sort of still exists, as US Railcar. They haven't produced anything since 2008 though. I think their trains are really unique and would like to see them on other operations!
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-GEP43DC
The Two Tracks in the middle are for freight. you are correct. as The Tracks at Union Station in New Jersey have the same set up for NJ Transit, as well as CSX, NS, BNSF, to go through
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The Two Tracks in the middle are for freight. you are correct. as The Tracks at Union Station in New Jersey have the same set up for NJ Transit, as well as CSX, NS, BNSF, to go through
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-kelvincao8359
The UP Express in Toronto also takes around 25 minutes only for the full one-way trip. However it still has power outlets, toilets and wifi, which seems pretty much a waste to me
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The UP Express in Toronto also takes around 25 minutes only for the full one-way trip. However it still has power outlets, toilets and wifi, which seems pretty much a waste to me
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-brucewilliams8714
I just don't get the US obsession with horns. It's way OTT. Just compare that with Switzerland, for example, where a horn is a rarity, and they have a great safety record.
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I just don't get the US obsession with horns. It's way OTT. Just compare that with Switzerland, for example, where a horn is a rarity, and they have a great safety record.
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-samporapeli803
I wonder if they ever actually need to couple two DMUs with such a low ridership. It's not like the train only runs five times per day, like many American commuter lines.
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I wonder if they ever actually need to couple two DMUs with such a low ridership. It's not like the train only runs five times per day, like many American commuter lines.
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-jason199033
your video's are fantastic, thanks for sharing them they are very well made, if you ever come to New Zealand you would enjoy the tranzalpine journey in the south island,
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your video's are fantastic, thanks for sharing them they are very well made, if you ever come to New Zealand you would enjoy the tranzalpine journey in the south island,
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-noahmizrahi9834
This should go all the way to salem oregon and back daily, and their lightrail should make the leap to the coast. what is keeping them from advancing in rail travel?
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This should go all the way to salem oregon and back daily, and their lightrail should make the leap to the coast. what is keeping them from advancing in rail travel?
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-paulh3086
As someone who rode this train everyday for a year, I can attest to the comfort of the seats! I fell asleep on those babies almost everyday on the afternoon commute home.
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As someone who rode this train everyday for a year, I can attest to the comfort of the seats! I fell asleep on those babies almost everyday on the afternoon commute home.
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-frozensushi5165
As i have seen you have done videos on danish trains, i Think you should round off that Series with our last unique intercity train, the litra MG. Love your videos-
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As i have seen you have done videos on danish trains, i Think you should round off that Series with our last unique intercity train, the litra MG. Love your videos-
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-darkknight8139
That is a nice looking train! As long as it is mandatory to put a weight on the train horn button, AND using the bell continuously, no train will ever be silent.
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That is a nice looking train! As long as it is mandatory to put a weight on the train horn button, AND using the bell continuously, no train will ever be silent.
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-frenchgrama
I can't believe you put your dirty skateboard wheels up against the fabric of the train seat! Such a beautiful CLEAN train and you didn't respect it.
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I can't believe you put your dirty skateboard wheels up against the fabric of the train seat! Such a beautiful CLEAN train and you didn't respect it.
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-davidng2336
It-s interesting that they primarily operate single car trains. The only double train I see is the one with car 2001, which is the unpowered coach.
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It-s interesting that they primarily operate single car trains. The only double train I see is the one with car 2001, which is the unpowered coach.
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train
This is the first time that I have ever seen one of these rare trains in action! The US needs somebody to make a lot more like these for short lines.
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This is the first time that I have ever seen one of these rare trains in action! The US needs somebody to make a lot more like these for short lines.
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-DanielsUKT
good trip report on a diesel commute unit in Portland i liked the horns and bells throughout the video even for a small train like that
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good trip report on a diesel commute unit in Portland i liked the horns and bells throughout the video even for a small train like that
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-SteamboatWilley
For a unit built in 2008, the design appears very dated. I would believe you if you told me these were built in the 70s or 80s.
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For a unit built in 2008, the design appears very dated. I would believe you if you told me these were built in the 70s or 80s.
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-Tsurnari
What the residents should have done was fight for separation of track from road and do away with the need for train horns altogether.
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What the residents should have done was fight for separation of track from road and do away with the need for train horns altogether.
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