LEOMINSTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Regular service resumed on the MBTA Commuter Rail’s Fitchburg line Tuesday after repairs due to catastrophic flooding last week.
Service between Wachusett and Shirley was scheduled to resume at 11:30 a.m., the T said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Fitchburg Train 411 (10:30 a.m. from North Station) was slated to be the first to operate through Wachusett, the agency said.
“Good news,” said Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella in a post on Facebook celebrating the resumption of train service.
“Incredible,” he later said.
Regular train service on part of the Fitchburg line was disrupted after storms triggered flash flooding in Leominster and surrounding communities last Monday.
Among other damage, floodwaters washed out the ground below tracks near North Leominster station, leaving the tracks themselves hanging in the air.
Shuttle buses replaced train service between Wachusett and Shirley stations while crews made repairs. After several days of work, the T shared photos on Tuesday showing the newly repaired track area. The T said crews ultimately needed to backfill 3,000 tons of stone, replace 188 feet of pipes and reset tracks as part of their repairs.
“Riders depend on our services and I couldn’t be more proud of the decisions made to ensure safety during the storm but also to restore service so quickly,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Eng said MBTA Railroad Operations, Keolis and other crews “worked tirelessly to rebuild the infrastructure caused by the severe flooding that affected so many.”
“I thank the residents of Leominster and our riders for their patience,” Eng said. “As we begin to operate trains service again, our thoughts go out to all the communities impacted by these devastating floods who are still recovering.”
Though Commuter Rail train service has resumed, cleanup efforts are continuing in Leominster on a timeline that officials say could take months and cost millions of dollars.
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