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The postings contained in this collection were all done BEFORE Trimet regulations were adopted limiting blog activities of all Trimet employees. It's the personal collection of the blog owner: alyourpalster@gmail.com
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What Is This Sign?
Found throughout the MAX system, it is a stop sign for MAX drivers. Yes, it faces the wrong way for MAX, and that is exactly the point. Sometimes, as a result of maintenance or a crash, one of the two tracks will be blocked, but trains will still need to get by. Using special track switches called Crossovers, trains can move from one track to the other; you then have (for example) a westbound train on the eastbound tracks, a process called Wrong Road Running. This sign exists for trains going the wrong way.
In this instance, it likely relates to the crossing gate across the road. When going the “correct” way, the train signaling system activates the crossing gate when a train is ready to leave the station. When going the wrong way however, the signaling system thinks the train in the station has already crossed the intersection, and the crossing gate stays open; thus a stop sign exists to keep trains from going blindly into the road. There is a fail-safe however, as any train, regardless of direction, that comes within a certain distance of the crossing will cause the gates to come down, and it is possible that this sign marks that distance (which when a station exists next to the crossing, can be as little as three feet from the road).
Such signs are also used when a hazard exists that is not apparent coming the wrong way. An example is at Parkrose TC. Coming the correct way MAX drivers and pedestrians can easily see each other, going the wrong way pedestrians can’t see the train (it is behind them) and drivers can’t see the pedestrians because of a retaining wall; thus a similar sign there requires trains to stop before the pedestrian crossing.
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