First, Siemens won a contract for 26 LRVs from Portland’s TriMet. This order will replace TriMet’s original 26 Type-1 vehicles (supplied by Bombardier in 1986) with Siemens’ S700, “a low-floor, state-of-the-art vehicle jointly developed by TriMet and Siemens Mobility.” The contract includes options for up to 60 additional LRVs, which would accommodate further service expansions such as the MAX Red Line Extension to Fair Complex, and the Southwest Corridor. With this new purchase, TriMet’s LRV fleet will be a fully-Siemens fleet, with the first delivery expected in 2021.
In addition, TriMet has opted to install the latest Internet-of-Things (IoT) framework to what will now be its Type 6 vehicle.
How comforting...if you've been following the hacks of IoT networks, you know that there's essentially no security embedded in the systems. It's interesting to envision the results of a hacker taking control of a light-rail train.
As an aside, trains have become the latest tool for terrorists.
Just one push is all it takes.