SOMERVILLE, MASS. (WHDH) - The old Orange Line trains are back on the tracks after a door issue placed the new trains out of service.
A new Orange Line train that recently debuted automatically stopped after one door leaf out of 72 opened, an MBTA spokesperson said.
An investigation by the doors’ manufacturer and vehicle engineers revealed that a component called a bump stop did not perform as expected, the spokesperson added.
It is being replaced with a new, heavy-duty design.
The spokesperson says the new cars are expected to be back in service no later than Monday.
In the meantime, passengers expressed their disappointment for the out-of-service trains.
“I haven’t had a chance to ride one yet,” one person said. “I was looking forward to it.”
On the bright side, those who ride the Red Line received the news Wednesday that service has been fully restored following a derailment in June.
Teams determined that a bad electrical connection damaged an axle, causing it to crack overtime.
“Right after the derailment, I was doing two hour commutes just to Braintree each way,” passenger Jen Kilpatrick said. “It was taking a lot of my time and with a full-time job and three kids. That’s a lot to deal with. It’s been better but hopefully today will be better from now on.”
The MBTA plans to spend $8 billion over the next five years to revamp the system that so many people rely on.
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