As many as 30,000 railroad ties will be replaced on the Framingham-Worcester Commuter Rail line as part of an effort to eliminate heat-related speed restrictions.
Keolis, which operates the Commuter Rail, made the announcement on Wednesday.
The company says the work will begin in March and will be done during mid-day hours. The work will have minimal impact on riders but some speed restrictions will be necessary, according to the company.
Replacement of the ties will continue into the fall between the Newtonville and Southboro stations, according to Keolis.
The Framingham-Worcester line was built under previous design and maintenance standards than the MBTA currently has, according to Keolis. Keolis says
there are inadequate records from the original installation that would help engineers determine whether the rails will respond to heat variations.
To compensate for the lack of records, Keolis says that the MBTA has replaced or de-stressed sections of the rail to ensure train safety.
When finished with the tie replacement, no heat-related speed restrictions will be necessary.
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