NATICK, MASS. (WHDH) - Signal issues delayed multiple trains on the Worcester Line Tuesday night, leaving some commuters stranded for hours. The next day, those disgruntled passengers say they want answers.
Silence permeates from state transportation officials and Keolis after long delays caused a nightmare commute on the Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail Line.
Trains were delayed for hours after signals went down along the Worcester Line, causing all trains to hold in place, according to a post on the Commuter Rail’s Twitter page.
“With this being an unforeseen issue, our teams worked together to resolve the signal failure as well as communicate updates as they developed,” the MBTA said in a tweet.
“It was a very frustrating evening,” commuter Ken Leblanc told 7NEWS. “It took four hours to get home from South Boston.”
Leblanc said he eventually gave up, got off the train early and got a ride to his car.
Now, he said he plans on driving to work because as bad as the traffic is, he said it seems better than the trains.
On Wednesday, Isabella Gathoni arrived at the Natick Station earlier than usual for her nightly commute in an attempt to avoid another disastrous ride home.
“I got home an hour and a half later than normal time,” she said. “Put yourselves in our shoes. It’s wintertime, we’re in New England. Just better updates.”
As of 10:30 p.m. Keolis had resolved the problem and normal service had resumed with residual delays.
Normal train service resumed in the morning.
7’s Sharman Sachetti reached out to transportation officials and Keolis spokespeople for comment but was denied.
Worcester Line passengers: we thank you for your patience during this disruption and we apologize for the impact this has had on your evening commute.
Signals were down on the Worcester Line causing all trains to hold along the line resulting in train delays and cancellations.
— MBTA Commuter Rail (@MBTA_CR) January 8, 2020
✅Normal train service is expected to operate for the remainder of the night and tomorrow morning on the Framingham/Worcester line.
Maintainers will be on standby at different locations along the line in order to take action in a timely manner should another signal issue arise.
— MBTA Commuter Rail (@MBTA_CR) January 8, 2020
Update: Worcester Line Train 523 (5:40 pm from South Station) is now operating about 2 hours and 15 minutes behind schedule between West Natick and Worcester due to ongoing signal issues.
— MBTA Commuter Rail (@MBTA_CR) January 8, 2020
The MBTA Commuter Rail Twitter feed announces to-the-minute updates on delayed trains.
This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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