NEWTON, Mass. (WHDH) – The MBTA showed off its new Green Line car design Wednesday at Riverside Station in Newton.
The car on display is one of 24 cars that the MBTA is set to roll out over the next year and a half.
The T said the newer trains deliver a smoother ride — they can carry more people and they say it’s more reliable.
The trains were bought for the Green Line extension that state officials broke ground on last month. The nearly five-mile-long project would extend the Green Line through Somerville and Medford.
The new trains were also designed to be more accessible for those in a wheelchair or with a baby stroller — a ramp was added that extends from the car making it easier to get on and off.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said the new trains are part of an $8 billion investment into the MBTA.
“Those investments are literally just getting started and are going to go over the course of the next four or five years,” Gov. Baker said.
The new cars will start being rolled out in September — the first new Green Line cars since 1996. Transportation officials say customers should see a difference by 2019.
Transporation officials admit they still need to fix the tracks and signals. Officials say they plan to dig out D branch tracks and install new ones as a part of the upgrades.
Even before then, they’ll improve your experience on the Green Line. Among other things that you’ll notice, the new cars have:
– Sliding doors, to make boarding & exiting easier
– A bigger, accessible area & more priority seating
– More communication & safety features pic.twitter.com/4QVaIII2lK— MBTA (@MBTA) July 18, 2018
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