(WHDH) – Commuters say it happens way too often: Trains running behind schedule, or never even leaving the station, often leaving riders at the mercy of unexplained “mechanical issues.”
Now, 7NEWS has an exclusive inside look at the big fix aimed at bringing relief to riled-up riders.
While the MBTA commuter rail is currently running just below is target of 90 percent of trains running on time for the year thus far, on a single day this past August, the commuter rail’s Twitter account announced twelve different delays or cancellations – all due to “mechanical issues.” On the Worcester line, over the past month, about one out of every five trains has run late.
But Keolis, which operates the commuter rail, is working to fix the problems.
Earlier this month, 7NEWS got a firsthand look at major repairs underway at the Boston Engine Terminal in Somerville, as a team of ten mechanics works to bring old and broken down trains back up to speed.
“This is probably as big as anything that has been done here,” said Ernest Piper, Chief Mechanical Officer for Keolis.
The goal of the project is a faster, more reliable ride.
“That means that they’re more likely to get the ride that they’re paying for,” Piper said.
7NEWS was there as the mechanics refurbished two locomotives – the workhorses that pull the other train cars. More than half of the commuter rail’s locomotives are at least 20 years old, and the older they get, the more they break down. A shortage of working locomotives led to a slew of cancellations last spring.
“Making sure that you’ve got that strong, dependable fleet is critical,” Piper said.
The two locomotives 7NEWS watched being refurbished have been off the rails for several years. They’re now under the scalpel, undergoing two months of what the mechanics think of as open heart surgery. The team will replace all of the main engines and generators inside each locomotive.
While they’re at it, mechanics are also fixing more minor issues, like windows and wiring.
Piper said that Keolis is working hard to get five locomotives back on the rails before winter hits – they’ll be completely refurbished and less likely to cause commuters grief.
“They expect to get to work on time, and that’s what I take seriously,” Piper said.
The plan is to refurbish another five locomotives next year, for a total of ten. Keolis officials said those additional five locomotives can’t be refurbished sooner because of supply chain issues and the lack of available parts.
The $12 million to pay for all of that work is coming from this year’s MBTA capital funds budget.
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