All New MBTA Orange Line Trains Pulled Out Of Service Thursday

Boston MA

19 May, 2022

4:30 PM

Description

BOSTON — The MBTA pulled all of its new Orange Line trains from service Thursday afternoon after receiving word of a braking problem in one of the new trains. A spokesperson from the MBTA says the decision to pull all new trains was out of an "abundance of caution with "safety being the top priority." According to the MBTA, one of the newer model Orange Line trains experienced a problem in one of its multiple braking units at Wellington Station, causing it to become disabled. There were no reported injuries, but the MBTA said pulling the trains could cause massive delays in time for the Thursday night commute. "The issue never presented a hazard for riders nor employees, but the train was removed from service for an inspection," the MBTA said in a statement. "While the MBTA works to determine the exact cause of the failure, a proactive decision has been made to keep all of the new trains out of service while the vehicle engineering and technical teams troubleshoot the problem." Transit officials are now working to determine the exact cause of the failure. Orange Line service will continue uninterrupted with the use of older model trains, but with significant delays. Thursday's decision to pull the trains comes as federal transportation officials have started reviewing MBTA safety measures in the wake of the death of an MBTA Red Line train passenger who got his arm caught in a subway door and was dragged at least 100 feet last month. The Federal Transit Administration told the Boston Globe they are "extremely concerned with the ongoing safety issues" and is beginning systemwide safety inspections.