The Wait Is Over: New MBTA Orange Line Train Goes Live on Wednesday
The T is announcing some freshly built and tested cars will soon hit the tracks.
Photo via MBTA
Pop the champagne: After years of waiting (sort of) patiently, MBTA commuters will finally see a sparkling new Orange Line train hit the tracks this week.
A set of six cars will be entered into service on Wednesday, August 14, T officials were set to announce at a Monday meeting, per a source.
They’ll be the first of 152 Orange Line train cars slated to be built by Chinese rail manufacturer CRRC and brought into service by the end of 2021, replacing all the old ones currently in use.
A few big differences will be apparent to anyone lucky enough to board the spiffed-up train this week. First, the design has gotten a total facelift, which removes the cloth seats and wood paneling that have characterized the interiors of the current fleet and replaces them with orange and yellow plastic. Additionally, they’ve been redesigned with wider doors and more space for passengers, and will be equipped with updated technology, including LCD displays.
It’s been quite the journey for the highly anticipated new trains. In 2017, a mock-up of the updated cars was showcased on City Hall Plaza, attracting crowds eager to see what the future held.
Making sure the cars are ready for the big time has been a more than yearlong process. The cars had to pass a total of 75 tests, and have been driven a total of 7,000 miles, according to a presentation the T is set to give Monday.
The grand debut comes later than expected, as it had been planned for late 2018 and has been pushed back several times. Most recently, T officials said in March that we should expect to see them this summer.
In the meantime the new train cars have been spotted cruising through T stops on test-runs, making sightings a rare treat for those who are extremely ready for the future of the Orange Line.
hell YES baby that is some 21st century public transportation!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/0YKDQg4acr
— ask not for whom the bug posts (@BUGPOSTING) August 12, 2019
That new Orange Line Train is CUUUUTE! Can’t wait to come home and take a ride https://t.co/iSPhglcJaW
— Mr. © Greene (@CODE_CED) August 7, 2019
Now, it looks like that day is just around the corner.
