Charlie on the MBTA

It was a preventable death in a Big Dig tunnel back in 2006 that brought out the anger in then-Gov. Mitt Romney, who marched to the scene and ripped into those in charge. When it comes to the MBTA, it’s probably past time for Gov. Charlie Baker to have his Mitt Moment.

Wednesday was a disastrous day on the Red Line, with the derailment of a subway car throwing service into chaos. Passengers on that car and inside a smoke-filled Andrew Station were terrified. Commuters forced to wait for shuttle buses stood hundreds deep. Passengers complained of a lack of communication from T workers throughout the eighthour service disruption.

In December, 17 passengers on a Mattapan trolley were injured when the trolley rearended another train. Passengers tell the Herald they always have to build in extra time when they use the T, anticipating service woes. Those who have other transportation options bailed out long ago.

The T’s deep structural problems are not the fault of the Baker administration. We all know that decades of neglect have left the system in a state of poor repair. For many years the enrichment of MBTA employees — rather than service — was the priority.

And since the winter of 2015 Baker’s team has committed to turning things around. The deeper the hole, the longer it takes to climb out.

But when riders continue to experience catastrophic disruptions — when they miss a school presentation or a job interview or a doctor’s appointment — they get angry. When the train car windows shatter, they are terrified. And they want their government leaders to acknowledge that.

Baker needs to talk directly to those passengers. It would help if he and his team were to board the T once in a while — not as a publicity stunt, but as a way of truly engaging.

We’re not suggesting Baker fire the MBTA’s general manager (who is brand new to the job) as Romney effectively did with the head of the Turnpike Authority.

But we suspect T passengers who endure these transit nightmares would welcome a little fire from the governor, and more than reassuring words.