Portland MAX Diary

Last day on MAX

2008-11-26T08:45:00.001-08:00

Well the day is here. Today is my last day riding the MAX in Portland. For almost 2 and a half years I have rode the Red Line from ParkRose to downtown 5 days a week religiously. It was only recently that I started this blog to record my daily travels and tribulations. I wish I had started it sooner because its always been an adventure to share.

The MAX to some is a means of transportation that they will never step foot on due to the news reports of random violence that litter the local news media. Yes there is some crazy shit that goes down on MAX sometimes. But shit, there a hundreds on crazy things that happen on other mass transit systems every damn day and people still ride. Look at the NJ/NYC PATH or NYC subway even BART in Cali has violence. I believe that you need to get on and ride to see the real deal. I also believe that 90% of the shit that happens on MAX is a direct result of bad fair management on TriMet's part.

Young teens and homeless in my opinion make up the majority of these problems. You never hear of a 35yr old business man calling another passenger a "fuckin whore" and then stealing his/her bag? Its always some deranged homeless dude or a kid trying to look tough in front of friends that is beating down a 70yr woman or snatching purses from other teens minds their own business. TriMet does nothing to stop fair jumpers at all. They put random fair inspectors at some stops to check fair, when they have 5mins free from stuffing their faces with donuts and coffee. Ridiculous.

If MAX was run like a subway or PATH train system passengers would pass through a turn style system by swiping their monthly/yearly card or purchasing a single ride ticket. This would cut out a great percentage losers that skip fair each day and cause the issues TriMet faces. Its just a bad design they have now and they think by hiring cops for stops or trains will help. Money could be spent on better equipment that could outlast an officer's shift.

Obviously I have a lot to say about how TriMet manages their system. One day they will get it, right now they don't.

When I moved here from New Jersey about 3yrs ago I never thought I would love it so much. MAX has been but a small part of my Pacific Northwest adventures over the last few years. Hiking in the Gorge and around Mt Hood and St Helens is an experience that I will always remember and also a reason to one day return. As for now, I am transferring to my firm's main office in Houston, TX. I am not at all trading my hiking boots for cowboy boots, no way no how.

A great opportunity has guided me this way. It is a huge move for me and my family but has many benefits right now in my life and career.

MAX, I will miss you and your interesting characters you shuffle to and fro...

Peace out for now-

pdxMAX (Nigel)

Fair Inspectors arer back!

2008-10-30T08:05:00.001-07:00

Wow! TriMet is working these inspectors. This is the 4th time in two weeks we have stopped at 82nd Ave for Fair Inspectors to board and take off the deadbeats. The MAX operator has even been announcing a warning that they will board and we still have idiots saying "I didn't know where to pay" or "its not free".

Haaah. I love it. And why is it that everyone they bust has no form of ID!? WTF?

Anyway. iPod battery is dead have to listen to rider commentary.

pdxMAX

PDXMAX blog is moving

2008-10-10T08:26:00.001-07:00

Its sad to announce that I will be leaving the PAC NorthWest in the next couple of months. My job is taking me to Houston, TX. Wow, big change I know.

My family and I have found a new home and will be moving around the 1st week of December 2008. Houston has a small light rail system in downtown but I will be able to make it part of my daily commute. I will miss the MAX and its strange/odd/weird/asshole/funny/freaky/smelly riders.

You never know, maybe TriMet will buy my blog! Haah! Yeah right.

More updates will follow.

pdxMAX

It's Official

2008-09-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

Well it is indeed official, I am being relocated to Houston, Texas. My firm's main office is in Houston and my position is in great demand down there. My family and I will begin our journey sometime in Oct/Nov.

I will be heading down there for work and house hunting the week of the 25th. My wife will follow for a few days. We have been looking in the area of Houston called "The Woodlands" about 45miles north of downtown. Friends and co-workers in that area will make a move much easier to deal with.

I will definitely miss the Pacific Northwest although its only been 2yrs since I got here from NJ. I thinks its a wonderful place to live and have a family. Texas I hope, will provide that same feeling, less the beautiful mountains and cooler air!

I will post more about the move as the days wear on.

pdxMAX

Back to School

2008-09-04T07:51:00.001-07:00

Back to School week:

It used to be a fun time when you could catch up with friends that you hadn't seen all summer. Trade new numbers, talk about what classes you had and such. But that was back in the day...

Now its... Hang out at the MAX platform and talk shit about your friends and family. Talk as loud as possible on your cell in a full train to your BFF who is riding in the car behind you. Then at the next stop yell louder into your cell while your BFF runs out of one car and into the other before the doors close.

I never thought I would say this but, "damn kids these days!"

Stay tuned for my back to school fashion report friday.

pdxMAX

Cat on a leash

2008-09-02T08:02:00.001-07:00

Friggin white trash idiots. What the hell are you doing dragging a cat around on a leash? Then bringing it on the MAX? She talking to the cat like it knows what the Eff she is saying. "Come on kitty, move over so people can walk here". shorten the friggin leash you dumbass then the cat won't be able to walk under folks as they make their way to the platform.

I don't understand it

Blog Drought

2008-08-11T07:55:00.001-07:00

Its been a week or so since my last post and I apologize. I was in Houston, TX for a few days last week/weekend on business so that took me away from riding MAX. Houston has a light rail system I found while there but I don't think it has a cool name like, MAX, PATH or BART. I think they just call it the "Light Rail".

Portland light rail has been interesting this week to come home to: Steel Bridge is closed.

I almost forgot about it. So now you can ride the MAX to Convention Center and exit to catch a Shuttle bus that will take the Burnside Bridge across the river and drop you at the Chinatown platform. Or ride MAX to the Rose Garden stop and exit there (if you don't get off, the Blue or Red line that you are on will become a Yellow line and head towards the Expo Center) and walk across the bottom of the Steel Bridge. The bottom of the bridge is used by freight trains and has a bike/walk path. This walk takes about 10 mins to get to Chinatown and is much nicer than the Shuttle run I think. The down side: the bottom bridge is a draw bridge and will open for large boats/barges. This sucks cause that adds like 15mins on to your walk while you wait for the bridge to close again.

Its a nice walk from Rose Garden to the office (on 6th ave) on a nice, dry day- rainy days will mean shuttle time.

Time to get off the MAX and walk! Till next time,

pdxMAX

On business, in Houston

2008-08-01T06:24:00.001-07:00

I will be in Houston until late next week. Hopefully I will be back in time for the Friday Eavesdrop.

See ya soon-

pdxMAX

Monthly Pass Reminder

2008-07-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

TriMet Monthly Pass Reminder - Get your August pass now!

http://trimet.org/fares/wheretobuy.htm

Friday Eavesdrop

2008-07-25T17:17:00.001-07:00

Man and Woman talking(man is a case worker)

"I work as a case worker"
"Do you like it?"
"Yes. We help lots of families"
"Abused kids?"
"Yes"
"Wow, isn't it illegal to whoop yer kids"
"No, beating is illegal, whoopin' ain't. I have never been whooped. My family never whooped me"
"Damn! My daddy whooped me and I turned out ok! Haha!"
"Yes you did"...

"So do you plan on moving back here"
"Nope"
"I'm gonna move to Jersey or Detroit"

pdxMAX

Wednesday Fair Inspection

2008-07-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday brought at least 8 active TriMet Fair Inspectors to the Parkrose Transit Center. When I say "active" in mean those who actually work or inspect. Not hold up the wall with their back and just stare into space collecting a paycheck.

It was nice to see them working. The crew formed a line at the top of the freeway overpass that leads to the Parkrose platform. As riders made their way across the overpass to the parking lot, each person was asked to show valid fare. Quite creative I'd say. If you pay one guy to do this job and he continually fails at it, why not hire 7 more and place them all at the same bloody station! Hah! That's efficiency TriMet!

They did end up catching 5-10 different fair skippers. So job well done Fred Hansen, now if you keep that up at each station with less inspectors per station you might be on to something.

pdxMAX

Rude kids & Seat robbers

2008-07-15T08:00:00.001-07:00

Monday was very uneventful on MAX. Nothing too out of the ordinary. I heard a young teen boy yelling at his parent over the phone that he needed them to bring him to the mall so he could buy a new PlayStation game. But that's the norm for America lately, letting kids act like adults or have no form respect for anyone older or of authority.

Today I'm sitting behind the "Corporate" MAX rider. Yeah, the guy with his luggage in the seat next to him taking away from the elderly lady who now must stand. Sipping on his Venti Starbucks and reading some classified technical document on his laptop while sporting his Sony ear buds. What a D-Bag. I mean at least offer a the seat and put your case in the aisle. Not sure why I seem to get pissed at these fools but they get to me.

pdxMAX

The Friday Eavesdrop

2008-07-11T18:49:00.001-07:00

"I will be there is five minutes or less"

"Follow that street down to Halsey. Damn it I can't think of that other street name"

"We're about to go so sit down"

"There is a sign on the front and the back of the train that tells you where its going"

"I'm gonna be another 15-20 minutes, yeah, sorry"

"Call her, she wants you to call her"

Enjoy your weekend-

pdxMAX

Quiet Week

2008-07-10T08:09:00.001-07:00

It's been quiet riding the MAX this week. I will try and re-cap...

Summer is definitely here. The temps have been in the high 80's and 90's so that means less clothes for the women and more gawkers at each stop.
I've seen a huge increase in the 'nomads', as I call them, or transient teens. You know; army fatigue shorts, ripped up old punk band t-shirt, kool-aid colored and/or shaved heads, sporting large backpacks or army rucksacks. I swear they all walked here from Burning Man. I have nothing bad to say about this group. They are always chill when I see them, they seem to come outta the wood work!

I seen a young boy and his mom on the MAX this week and they were singing a child's song. When they came to a part about milk the young boy grabbed a hold of moms milk factory joking of feeding like a baby. Quite funny actually. Mom quickly stopped the boy in his tracks..."That is my body! It's not funny. They are not toys!" And after all these years I thought they were toys, I stand corrected!

Fair Inspectors and Portland Police were spotted and a few stops (Gateway, Rose Garden, 82nd Ave and even Parkrose). They seemed to be there as a threat to make you think they were checking fairs, but never entered the MAX to do so. I did get to see some very panicked faces on a few riders who were praying they wouldn't get spotted.

Steel Bridge construction continues to move forward. It actually looks like they could complete it by end of August. Starting August 2nd TriMet will close the bridge to allow the project to be finished forcing riders off the trains at the Rose Garden and offering a shuttle to Chinatown (15-30min) or walking the bike path on the lower level of the bridge to Chinatown (15mins). From Chinatown the MAX will continue on its path.

And last but not least-TriMet Code 28.15 violators, the platform smokers. It's the one thing that I can't friggin stand. Smoke in your car, home or in the parking lot but don't light up on the platform. It's a non smoking zone and I don't want to breathe it in assholes.

pdxMAX

The Friday Eavesdrop on Thursday

2008-07-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday on Thursday!

"There is a blue line train right behind us that has more room"

"The map is right there by the desk. You can call her back if you want? I'll take care of it when I get home."

"My fiance got off early"

"We have been talking bout it for years"

"Excuse me! Pregnant lady coming through! Excuse us.... Don't listen to him..."

"Who needs to get off? I do! Well I'm doing the best I can!"

Enjoy the long weekend!

pdxMAX

Lazy TriMet Inspectors

2008-07-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

3 Fair Inspectors hanging out on the Park Rose platform and not once did I see them attempt to check for fairs! Now granted this is usually more of a "corporate" transit center full of daily commuters and very few fair skippers. Still this shouldn't be a hangout for the overweight ex-bus driver turned Fair Inspector.

These clowns have it made, hang out, look busy, and get paid. And TriMet wants to put police at stops? Make these fools work Mr. Fred Hansen! Sure cops could help with crimes at stops but so could these guys. Stop letting the fair skipper go free and unchecked.

Normal Monday Morning

2008-06-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

Sorry for leaving you hanging last week but a man needs his time off from work on occasion.

Today has started off to be a typical Monday MAX ride full of platform smokers, seat hoggers (airline employees! WTF, share the seats ass) and MAX engineers that can't tell time (see my Twitter post). School and the sun is out so that must mean all of the jackasses are here too!

Portland Police and TriMet Fair Inspectors were at the 82nd Ave MAX stop today. This is the first time I have seen Fair Inspectors since mid May! But they of course were too lazy to check our train. It was easier for them to stand like wall flowers against the light post and ask to see fairs before riders boarded. Moving more than 3ft to enter a train and check fairs would be considered work and may cause them to drop a few pounds as well. Lazy ass fools.

That's enough from me this morning...

pdxMAX

Freight Train derailed in NE Portland

2008-06-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

A freight train derailed around 7 a.m. Thursday at Northeast 102nd Avenue and Northeast Fremont Street, not far from MAX's Gateway Transit Center. Clean up will continue through Friday causing traffic delays on I-205 and 84.

On Vacation

2008-06-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack in posts this week. I am on vacation relaxing at home with the young ones. I may have a reason to ride the MAX this week, so we will see what happens. If not, I will resume diary entries on Monday the 30th.

pdxMAX

Portland MAX Diary on Spicypage

2008-06-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Check out The Portland MAX Diary on Spicypage.com

Vote for my blog at

TriMet's WES Rail Cars are Here

2008-06-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

These vehicles will be used on TriMet's new Wilsonville-Beaverton commuter rail line.

http://trimet.org/wes/vehicles.htm

WES will begin serving Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville in the fall of 2008.

http://trimet.org/wes/index.htm

Light rail construction to interrupt MAX two weekends this summer

2008-06-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

Gateway to 102nd Ave service impacted in June & July...

Read More at:

http://trimet.org/news/releases/june20_blueline.htm

The Friday Eavesdrop

2008-06-20T20:27:00.001-07:00

"Either you or Holly need to go to the airport today and get $50 worth of Pesos"

"Mom, is this what rush hour looks like?"
"I hate math, I don't get the numbers part"

Kinda quiet Friday ride home.

Observed many woman with low cut shirts and shorts, must be summer. Guys sporting shorts and sandals to work as well. A cute couple holding hands in the square and a ton of homeless teens/young adults. Not sure where they all came from but the warm weather drew them out. Oregon has a top ten rating for the amount of homeless (16,221 as of Jan 2005) individuals living in the state.

Well- on that downer... I'm getting off of this MAX train.

pdxMAX

Timelapse Video of MAX Crossing Installation

2008-06-19T09:23:00.001-07:00

A cool little video of construction workers moving WAY faster than they do in real time...

http://www.portlandmall.org/video/crossing/index.htm

Friday Eavesdrop

2008-06-13T17:44:00.001-07:00

Man says to woman-
"Should I drop you off at the Barn first?"

Person on cell-
"Do we still have potatoes at home?"

Woman-
"No thanks, I have been sitting on my behind all day"

Boring day for conversations. The man next to me is reading 'Jumper'. He is quite ripe smelling too. Someone 2 rows back is cranking the Eagles at like 200 decibels in their headphones, sounds good though.

Enjoy the weekend!

pdxMAX