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When the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (Tri-Met) began operating trains on Monday for the new WES (Westside Express Service) commuter-rail service, the agency started to access lines owned by the Portland & Western Railroad (P&W).

The 14.7-mile, five-station line between Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville, Ore., runs along the 520-mile regional’s track, which was upgraded to support TriMet and P&W traffic.

P&W is committed to ensuring the smooth integration of freight and passenger trains on the WES line, said officials of the short line — which is owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. — in a prepared statement.
 
A cab signal system chosen by TriMet is designed to facilitate inter-operability and support unimpeded freight- and passenger-rail operations on the line. Approved by the Federal Railroad Administration, the system effectively simulated freight- and passenger-rail operations prior to the start of revenue service, P&W said.