TriMet's See Tracks? Think Train Week, a nationwide rail safety campaign, runs through Sunday, Sept. 27, with a message aimed at anyone who walks, bikes or drives near railroad crossings in Tigard and Tualatin.
The campaign, now in its 10th year, is coordinated by Operation Lifesaver, a national rail safety nonprofit. It launched Monday, Sept. 21.
The week has direct relevance for commuters who use TriMet's WES Commuter Rail line. WES runs 14.7 miles between Beaverton and Wilsonville, with stops at the Tigard Transit Center at 8960 SW Commercial St. and the Tualatin WES Station at 18955 SW Boones Ferry Rd. The line operates at grade and shares track with Portland & Western Railroad freight trains, according to TriMet's WES page.
Local crossings on state watch list
A draft of Oregon's 2027 State Rail Plan, released in August, listed several Tigard and Tualatin crossings among the state's 76 higher-risk highway-rail grade crossings. The flagged locations include Bonita Road and SW Tiedeman Avenue in Tigard and SW Avery Street in Tualatin, according to an Oregon Department of Transportation technical memo. Those crossings sit on Portland & Western freight corridors, though WES shares the same rail infrastructure.
Trains can't stop quickly
TriMet's campaign release focuses on its MAX light rail system, but the same hazards apply wherever trains cross streets at ground level. A MAX train traveling at 15 miles per hour needs about 50 feet to stop. Two coupled MAX trains weigh more than 200,000 pounds.
Trains cannot swerve.
The Federal Railroad Administration recorded approximately 2,273 collisions at rail crossings in 2025, resulting in 286 fatalities and 766 injuries, according to Operation Lifesaver. More than 60 percent of those collisions happened at crossings equipped with lights, gates or both.
Rachel Maleh, Operation Lifesaver's executive director, said in a Sept. 22 press release that the organization is partnering with the Amtrak Police Department for Operation Clear Track, a law enforcement outreach effort during the week. "We are proud to partner with Amtrak to support law enforcement and first responders in this powerful effort to raise awareness about rail safety," Maleh said.
Safety tips for commuters
TriMet's guidance includes looking both ways before crossing tracks, obeying all signals and gates, removing headphones and putting away phones near crossings, and never stopping a vehicle on the tracks. The agency said operators are trained to scan for hazards, but the weight and speed of trains limit how quickly they can react.
WES runs on weekdays during morning and afternoon rush hours only, with trains every 45 minutes.
Friday, Sept. 25, is designated nationally as Transit Rider Safety Day during the campaign. Operation Lifesaver encourages riders to take its online Transit Safety Pledge at oli.org.
