New Orange Line trains pulled out of service
The MBTA removed all new Orange Line trains from service Thursday after a braking problem in one of the brand new models was discovered at the Wellington Station.
A new Red Line train that was deployed Thursday was also taken out of service.
“The issue never presented a hazard for riders nor employees, but the train was removed from service for an inspection,” the T 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.”
The problem occurred in one of the new train’s multiple braking units, causing it to be disabled at the Medford station.
The announcement marks the latest issue with the T’s approximately $1 billion project to replace its aging Red and Orange Line fleets with new cars manufactured by Chinese firm CRRC.
MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said the plan would eventually deliver 152 Orange Line cars and 252 Red Line cars over the next few years.
To date, 74 Orange Line and 10 Red Line trains have been delivered. Of that number, 64 Orange and six Red trains have been put into service — although not all at the same time — with the remainder still being readied for use, Pesaturo said.
In March 2021, the new trains were taken out of service after an Orange Line train carrying passengers derailed, prompting an investigation that identified “something acting abnormally” within the trucks’ frames that made turning more difficult.
Federal transportation authorities have assumed an increased safety oversight at the MBTA due to their concern with last month’s passenger death on the Red Line, and recent derailments, collisions, and grade-crossing fatalities in the system.
Thursday’s decision to take the fleet’s newest trains out of service was made out of an “abundance of caution,” the MBTA said, “with safety being the top priority.”
“While Orange Line service will continue uninterrupted with the use of older-model trains, customers are advised that wait times at station platforms will be slightly longer,” the T said. “The MBTA appreciates and apologizes for the frustration this may cause.”