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141-469: The Red Line operates during normal MBTA service hours (all times except late nights) with six-car trains. The 218-car active fleet consists of three orders of cars built in 1969–70, 1987–89, and 1993–94. A 252-car order from CRRC is being built from 2019 to 2024. The Red Line is fully grade-separated ; trains are driven by operators with automatic train control for safety. Cabot Yard in South Boston

282-698: A $ 566.6 million contract to a China based manufacturer CNR (which became part of CRRC the following year) to build 152 replacement railcars for the Orange Line, as well as additional cars for the Red Line. The other bidders were Bombardier Transportation , Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hyundai Rotem . CNR began building the cars at a new manufacturing plant in Springfield, Massachusetts , with initial deliveries expected in 2018 and all cars in service by 2023. The Board forwent federal funding to allow

423-620: A 284 vehicle order (later expanded to 404 vehicles) for metro cars for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's Red and Orange lines with a US$ 556.6 million bid in October 2014, the company started constructing a 13,900 square metres (150,000 sq ft) assembly plant in Springfield, Massachusetts , at a former Westinghouse plant beginning in September 2015. Manufacturing work began in April 2018. In mid-2015, production began at

564-402: A Red Line train motor failed on approach to Andrew station causing the train to derail. On June 11, 2019, a Red Line train derailed just north of JFK/UMass station, damaging three sheds of signal equipment that control the complex interlockings around the station. The Red Line was limited to 10 trains per hour (instead of the usual 13-14) for several months while repairs were made. The derailment

705-404: A combined 6-minute headway between Alewife and JFK/UMass) and 12 to 16 minute headways at other times. Fleet utilization ranged from 16 trains (96 cars) on weekends to 20 trains (120 cars) at peak hours. However, rolling stock availability and longer trip times due to slow zones reduced service. By July 2023, headways were 18 minutes on each branch on weekdays and every 22 minutes on weekends. This

846-654: A fine of $ 500 per day per car for late deliveries. Delays began to accumulate in 2019, and then facilities in China and Springfield had to shut down and operate at reduced capacity for parts of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . As of September 2022, 78 of 152 new cars had been put in service on the Orange Line. This was enough for service almost all the time because of the rush hour service cap introduced after an FTA safety audit identified insufficient staffing of subway dispatchers. The MBTA indicated it would assess which delays were

987-610: A former Terex facility. CRRC provided railcar designs and some components, and Majestic Legend invested US$ 6 million; the plant was operational by the beginning of 2016. In August 2016, at the request of a letter from 55 US House of Representatives members alleging that Vertex was being unfairly subsidized by the Chinese government, the United States Department of the Treasury began an investigation into whether

1128-517: A new all-subway route via Porter Square and Davis Square was considered (and ultimately chosen). By the mid-1970s, the project was split into two phases: an all-subway extension to Arlington Heights via Alewife, with a later extension to Route 128. Arlington did not wish for Arlington Heights to be even a temporary terminal. In March 1977, Arlington voters rejected the project in a nonbinding referendum, citing fears of increased taxes and congestion. A May 1977 state bill prohibiting extension into Arlington

1269-707: A newly-constructed plant in Springfield, Massachusetts , with 152 cars on order, along with additional cars for the Red Line. All in-service Orange Line trains run in six-car consists. Cars of the fleet are 65 feet (20 m) long and 9 ft 3 in (2.8 m) wide, with three pairs of doors on each side. As of February 2022 , weekday peak and afternoon service was scheduled to operate on 8-minute headways, with headways ranging from 8 to 12 minutes at other times. Vehicle utilization ranged between 8 trains (48 cars) and 13 trains (78 cars). However, rolling stock availability and longer trip times due to slow zones reduced service. By July 2023, headways were 10–12 minutes on weekdays. This

1410-499: A one-third decrease in dwell times. The new cars have faced several issues since their August entry into service. In November 2019, a car derailed while undergoing initial testing at the Wellington yard. The last car of a six car trainset had jumped the rails while going over a switch , however no major damage had been reported. Several months earlier, the first two trainsets were taken out of service due to safety issues following

1551-528: A platform for the Braintree branch, which opened on December 14, 1988. Renovations to Broadway were completed in October 1989. Quincy Adams and Braintree were accessible by 1989, if not from their original construction. South Station was completed around 1992, followed by Andrew in 1994. The 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act spurred the renovation of additional stations. Quincy Center

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1692-545: A rolling stock plant in Batu Gajah , Perak , Malaysia , a satellite of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive , and the corporation's first plant outside China. Additionally the former CSR had acquired Emprendimientos Ferroviarios in Argentina in 2014 and announced in 2016 that it would begin maintenance and production of new rolling stock for export in the country. Argentina had previously purchased a variety of rolling stock from

1833-527: A single intermediate station, at Central Square. The contending groups finally compromised on two intermediate stations, at Central and Kendall Squares, allowing construction to start in 1909. The section from Harvard (and new maintenance facilities at Eliot Yard ) to Park Street was opened by the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) on March 23, 1912. At Harvard, a prepayment station provided easy transfer to streetcars routed through what

1974-471: A single train were stopped due to power loss, other trains behind it soon had to stop as well; without continually running trains pushing snow off the rails, the lines would become quickly blocked by heavy snowfalls. (Because the Blue Line was built with overhead catenary on its surface section due to its exposure to corrosive salt air , it was not as easily disabled by the icing conditions.) During 2015,

2115-611: A tight curve on Beach Street, the southern portion of the Atlantic Avenue Elevated , between South Station and Tower D on Washington Street, was closed (except for rush-hour trips from Dudley to North Station via the Elevated), breaking the loop; non-rush-hour Atlantic Avenue service was reduced to a shuttle between North and South Stations. In 1938, the remainder of the Atlantic Avenue Elevated

2256-780: A track connection on the Longfellow Bridge ). The Cambridge subway began service in 1912 with 40 all-steel motor cars built by the Standard Steel Car Company , and 20 cars from the Laconia Car Company . They had a novel design as a result of studies about Boston's existing lines, with a then-extraordinary length of 69 feet 6 inches (21.18 m) over buffers, and a large standee capacity, while weighing only 85,900 pounds (38,964 kg). They had an all-new door arrangement: three single sliding doors per side evenly distributed along

2397-539: Is standard gauge heavy rail . Trains consist of mated pairs of electric multiple unit cars powered from a 600 V DC third rail . All trains run in six-car sets. All cars are roughly 69–70 feet (21.0–21.3 m) long, 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, and have a platform height of 49 inches (120 cm) above the top of rail. Rolling stock is maintained at the Cabot Yard in South Boston . Yard leads connect to

2538-830: Is a rapid transit line operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) as part of the MBTA subway system. The line runs south on the surface from Oak Grove station in Malden, Massachusetts through Malden and Medford , paralleling the Haverhill Line , then crosses the Mystic River on a bridge into Somerville , then into Charlestown . It passes under the Charles River and runs through Downtown Boston in

2679-435: Is known as the "No. 3" fleet.) These cars seat 50, and all 86 cars are in active service. An automated stop announcement system provides station announcements synchronized with visual announcements in red LED signs ceiling-mounted in each car. These cars are stainless steel with red trim, and use yellow LCD exterior signs. These cars originally had red cloth seats (in contrast to the black leather seats of other cars), but in

2820-713: Is most of what is now Phase 1 of the Silver Line ). Also in 1901, the Atlantic Avenue Elevated opened, branching at Causeway Street to provide an alternate route through downtown Boston (along the shoreline, where today there is no rail transit) to the Washington Street Elevated. In 1908, a new Washington Street Tunnel opened, allowing Main Line service to travel from the Charlestown Elevated , underground via an additional new portal at

2961-568: Is now Mattapan station . The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad succeeded the Old Colony in operating the branch, but passenger service ceased on September 4, 1926, in anticipation of the construction of the BERy's Dorchester extension. The BERy opened the first phase of the Dorchester extension, to Fields Corner station , on November 5, 1927, south from Andrew , then southeast to

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3102-410: Is now part of Washington Street. In January and February 1967, the four original Washington Street Tunnel stations were renamed. Transfer stations were given the same name for all lines: Winter and Summer stations plus Washington on the Red Line became Washington, Milk and State plus Devonshire on the Blue Line became State Street after the cross street, and Union and Friend plus Haymarket Square on

3243-566: Is now the Harvard bus tunnel . From Harvard, the Cambridge tunnel traveled beneath Massachusetts Avenue to Central Square station . It then continued under Mass. Ave until Main Street , which it followed to reach Kendall station. The underground line then rose onto the Longfellow Bridge , using a central right-of-way which had been reserved during the bridge's 1900–1906 construction. On

3384-420: Is protected from the worst weather, but the 1970s-built Haymarket North Extension had older infrastructure and was in worse shape. From Sullivan Square north, it is exposed to the weather and largely built on an embankment, rendering it more vulnerable. That section is receiving new heated third rail, switch heaters, and snow fences to reduce the impacts of inclement weather. The work requires bustitution of

3525-903: Is the world's largest rolling stock manufacturer in terms of revenue, eclipsing its major competitors of Alstom and Siemens . It was formed on 1 June 2015 through the merger of CNR and CSR . As of 2016 it had 183,061 employees. The parent company is CRRC Group , a state-owned enterprise supervised by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council . The State Council also owned additional shares via China Securities Finance and Central Huijin Investment . CNR Group and CSR Group , were once one company, China National Railway Locomotive & Rolling Stock Industry Corporation  [ wikidata ] (LORIC). The company

3666-520: Is used for heavy maintenance and storage; a small yard at Forest Hills is also used for storage. All 20 Orange Line stations are fully accessible . Averaging 105,000 weekday passengers in 2023, the Orange Line has the second-highest ridership of the MBTA subway lines. The Orange Line originated as the Main Line Elevated of the Boston Elevated Railway , which was built in 1901. It consisted of

3807-400: Is used for heavy maintenance and storage; yards at Alewife, Ashmont, and Braintree are also used for storage. All 22 Red Line stations are fully accessible . Averaging 119,000 weekday passengers in 2023, the Red Line has the highest ridership of the MBTA subway lines. The Boston Elevated Railway opened its Cambridge tunnel between Harvard and Park Street in 1912. It was extended south as

3948-588: The Blue Line 's 0600 cars manufactured at the same time, were based on the designs of the PATH PA3. After 41 years of service, the last 01200s ran on August 19, 2022 before the shutdown, and began to be sent to scrap on September 22, 2022. All were processed by the contractor Costello to remove hazardous materials and be recycled; two were offered to the Seashore Trolley Museum , but the offer

4089-610: The Bombardier R110B prototype for the New York City Subway , and the Washington Metro 1000 series . They can operate only as mated pairs and can partially interoperate with older cars in emergencies or non-revenue equipment moves, but not in revenue service. CRRC CRRC Corporation Limited (known as CRRC ) is a Chinese state-owned and publicly traded rolling stock manufacturer. It

4230-511: The Canal Street incline , under downtown Boston and back up again to meet the Washington Street Elevated and Atlantic Avenue Elevated near Chinatown . The stations were richly decorated with tile work, mosaics, and copper; after criticism of the large Tremont Street subway headhouses, most entrances were comparatively modest and set into buildings. Use of the parallel Tremont Street subway was returned exclusively to streetcars . By 1909,

4371-699: The Charlestown Elevated to the Canal Street incline near North Station . It was carried underground by the Tremont Street subway (now part of the Green Line ), returning above ground at the Pleasant Street incline (now closed, located just south of Boylston station ). A temporary link connected from there to the Washington Street Elevated , which in 1901 ran from this point via Washington Street to Dudley Square (which

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4512-565: The Charlestown Elevated , Atlantic Avenue Elevated , Washington Street Elevated , and a portion of the previously-built Tremont Street subway . All of the original route has been replaced, beginning with the Washington Street Tunnel replacing the Tremont Street subway in 1908. The Washington Street Elevated was extended from Dudley Square to Forest Hills in 1909, with an infill station at Green Street in 1912;

4653-587: The Chinatown station was closed to allow the Orange Line to be tied into the new Southwest Corridor. On May 4, 1987, the Orange Line was rerouted from the southern end of the Washington Street Tunnel onto the new Southwest Corridor. Instead of rising up to elevated tracks, it now veered west at the Massachusetts Turnpike and followed the Pike and the old Boston and Albany Railroad right-of-way to

4794-621: The Fitchburg Division to Waltham and the Lexington Branch to Lexington. The 1966 Program for Mass Transportation by the 1964-created MBTA called for an immediate extension to Alewife Brook Parkway via Porter Square, with possible future extensions to Arlington or Waltham. Original plans called for a subway under Massachusetts Avenue to Porter Square, then a surface route along the Fitchburg Route to Alewife. In

4935-646: The Forest Hills–Everett Elevated (Route 2 on maps ) under the Metropolitan Transportation Authority . After taking over operations in August 1964, the MBTA began rebranding many elements of Boston's public transportation network. Colors were assigned to the rail lines on August 26, 1965, as part of a wider modernization developed by Cambridge Seven Associates . Peter Chermayeff assigned red , green , and blue to

5076-560: The Green , Orange , and Blue Lines, opened in 1897, 1901, and 1904, respectively) to come into being. Construction of the Cambridge tunnel , connecting Harvard Square to Boston, was delayed by a dispute over the number of intermediate stations to be built along the new line. Cambridge residents, led by Mayor Wardwell, wanted at least five stations built along the line, while suburbanites interested in faster through travel argued for only

5217-592: The Gupta family . The United States Department of Defense alleges CRRC is a supplier to People's Liberation Army . In November 2020, Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting any American company or individual from owning shares in companies that the United States Department of Defense has listed as having links to the People's Liberation Army, which included CRRC. In October 2022,

5358-487: The Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine . From 1981 to 2022, the Orange Line used a fleet of Hawker-Siddeley heavy rail cars. These cars, nicknamed Orange Blossoms, featured reinforced roofs for pantographs. It was thought that if the Orange Line was extended, they would opt to use overhead collection. But since these extensions were never built, pantographs were never installed. The 01200s, along with

5499-416: The Silver Line bus rapid transit was added to connect Washington Street to the downtown subways, attempting to address this service need. This replacement service was controversial, as many residents preferred the return of rail transportation. In the mid-1980s, the MBTA spent $ 80 million to extend the platforms of seven Red Line and three Orange Line stations ( Essex , Washington , and State ) to allow

5640-487: The Washington Street Tunnel and Atlantic Avenue Elevated , respectively. Further extensions opened to Broadway on December 15, 1917 and Andrew on June 29, 1918, both prepayment stations for streetcar transfer. The Broadway station included an upper level with its own tunnel for streetcars , which was soon abandoned in 1919 due to most lines being truncated to Andrew. The upper level at Broadway

5781-698: The " Arts on the Line " public art program. Fill from the tunnel excavation was used to create Danehy Park on the former site of the Cambridge City Dump, and to restore Russell Field in Cambridge and Magnolia Park in Arlington. A 1979 renovation of Park Street added two elevators, making it the first accessible station on the Red Line. In the early 1980s, the MBTA began extending platforms for six-car trains: Ashmont and Shawmut in 1981, Charles/MGH in 1982, and Fields Corner and Savin Hill in

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5922-423: The 1500 and 1600 series by Pullman-Standard 1969–1970 (known as the "No. 1" fleet), and 1700–57 by UTDC in 1988 ("No. 2" fleet). These cars seat 62 to 64 each and approximately 132 cars are in active service as of 2015, including some of the oldest cars still in regular revenue service on the MBTA system. All cars are painted white with red trim, with manually operated exterior roll signs . Before their overhauls,

6063-470: The 1500 and 1600 series had a brushed aluminum livery with a thin red stripe and were usually called "Silverbird" cars from their natural metal finish. All these cars use traditional DC traction motors with electromechanical controls manufactured by Westinghouse and can interoperate. The 1500 and 1700 series cars could operate as singles, but in practice are always operated as married pairs. The 1600 series could only operate as married pairs. Originally,

6204-542: The 1500s were double-ended and had two cabs, but were converted to single ended during their midlife overhaul. Headlights are still present on the non-cab ends on the 1500s. The 1700s also have headlights on their non-cab end, but they were built with only one cab. The 1800–85 series of stainless steel –bodied cars was built in 1993–94 by Bombardier from components manufactured in Canada and assembled in Barre, Vermont . (This

6345-488: The 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act . Construction at Sullivan Square and Wellington began in 1991. Haymarket was retrofitted with elevators in 2000. The 1975-built North Station was expanded into a "superstation" with a cross-platform transfer to the Green Line; elevators were in installed in 2001, though the Green Line did not use the station until 2004. The southbound platform at Chinatown

6486-428: The 2010s and into the 2020s. Several prominent incidents occurred in 2022 alone, despite the then-underway fleet replacement. Accelerated repairs took place across the entire Orange Line from August 19 to September 18, 2022, and again across different segments of the line throughout 2024. The Main Line of the electric Boston Elevated Railway opened in segments, starting in 1901. It proceeded from Sullivan Square along

6627-454: The Blue Line was built with overhead lines on its surface section due to its proximity to corrosive salt air, it was not subject to icing issues.) Starting in 2015, the MBTA began implementing its $ 83.7 million Winter Resiliency Program, much of which focused on preventing similar issues with the Orange and Red lines. The Southwest Corridor section of the Orange Line is located in a trench and

6768-835: The Boston Metropolitan District proposed an extension from Lechmere to North Cambridge via the Southern Division and the Fitchburg Cutoff , with a possible further extension along the Lexington Branch . An extension of the Cambridge–Dorchester Line under Mount Auburn Street to Watertown, and thence along the Watertown Branch to Waltham, was also raised as a possibility. A northwards extension from Harvard to

6909-519: The Boston side, the line briefly became an elevated railway , as vehicle lanes descended beneath it to Charles Circle ; the tracks then immediately entered a tunnel beneath Beacon Hill , leading to new lower-level platforms at Park Street Under. Charles Station (now Charles/MGH ) was added above the traffic circle in 1932. The Dorchester Tunnel to Washington Street and South Station Under opened on April 4, 1915 and December 3, 1916, with transfers to

7050-455: The Braintree branch from September 6–29, 2024, was intended to "lay the groundwork" for a future speed increase as well as removing speed restrictions. The branch has been restricted to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) for several decades, but the MBTA intends to eventually increase some portions to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). As of February 2023, both branches were scheduled to operate on 12–13-minute headways during weekday peak hours (with

7191-623: The Charlestown Elevated was extended from Sullivan Square to Everett in 1919. The Atlantic Avenue Elevated was closed in 1938. The newly formed MBTA assigned colors to its subway lines in 1965, with the Main Line becoming the Orange Line. The Charlestown Elevated was closed in 1975; it was replaced by the Haymarket North Extension , which opened in phases from 1975 to 1977. The Southwest Corridor replaced

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7332-641: The Chinese investment in Vertex constituted a national security risk. 42 US Senators sent a similar letter in September, conveying concerns about the state-owned enterprises behind Vertex. The Treasury Department released its report in December and found that the joint ownership was not a risk. In late 2015, Yu Weiping, one of the vice-president of the company, stated the company planned to double overseas sales over five years, with North American passenger rail being one target. Interim six month financial results for

7473-558: The Dorchester Tunnel to Washington (now Downtown Crossing ) in 1915, South Station in 1916, Broadway in 1917, and Andrew in 1918. The Dorchester extension added three stops to Fields Corner in 1927 and two more stops to Ashmont in 1928. Charles (now Charles/MGH ) was added as an infill station in 1932. The newly formed MBTA assigned colors to its subway lines in 1965, with the Cambridge–Dorchester line becoming

7614-547: The Forest Hills–Everett line the month before. Every other train bypassed Shawmut, Savin Hill, Columbia, and Charles stations. This was discontinued in September 1961 to reduce wait times at the skipped stations, most of which were outdoors. Charles was renamed Charles/MGH in December 1973, and Kendall was renamed Kendall/MIT on August 7, 1978. In January 1981, the MBTA proposed to close the Ashmont branch on Sundays – and

7755-442: The Green Line became Haymarket after Haymarket Square . Boylston Street was renamed Essex to avoid confusion with nearby Boylston station on the Green Line. In May 1987, Essex was renamed Chinatown after the adjacent Chinatown neighborhood , and Washington renamed Downtown Crossing after the adjacent shopping district . In March 2010, New England Medical Center station was renamed as Tufts Medical Center two years after

7896-404: The MBTA began rebranding many elements of Boston's public transportation network. Colors were assigned to the rail lines on August 26, 1965 as part of a wider modernization developed by Cambridge Seven Associates , with the Cambridge–Dorchester line becoming the Red Line . Peter Chermayeff claims to have assigned red to the line because of Harvard's association with crimson . On July 28, 1965,

8037-491: The MBTA implemented its $ 83.7 million Winter Resiliency Program, much of which focused on preventing similar vulnerabilities with the Orange and Red lines. The section of the Braintree branch between JFK/UMass and Wollaston had old infrastructure and was largely built on an embankment, rendering it more vulnerable. New third rail with heaters and a different metal composition to reduce wear was installed, along with snow fences and switch heaters . The work required bustitution of

8178-466: The MBTA signed an agreement with the New Haven Railroad to purchase 11 miles (18 km) of the former Old Colony mainline from Fort Point Channel to South Braintree in order to construct a new rapid transit line along the corridor. The line was expected to be completed within two years. The agreement also provided for the MBTA to subsidize commuter service on the railroad's remaining commuter rail lines for $ 1.2 million annually. Original plans called for

8319-455: The MBTA subway system by the end of 2024. Under this plan, the first of several intermittent shutdowns of different segments of the Orange Line began on March 18, 2024, with more shutdowns taking place that June and October. All slow zones on the Orange Line were finally removed by early November 2024. Orange Line The Orange Line is standard-gauge heavy rail and uses a third rail for power. The newer cars are being built by CRRC in

8460-475: The MBTA's Safety Department and the Department of Public Utilities. The new cars were again removed from service on May 19–23, 2022, after a braking issue on one car due to an incorrectly installed bolt, and again between June and July 2022 due to a battery failure. In December 2022, some new cars were removed from service due to failed power cables causing electric arcing on axles. The CRRC contract requires delivery of all Orange Line cars by January 2022, with

8601-430: The MTA began operating " modified express service " on the line during the morning rush hour. Every other train bypassed Green Street, Egleston (southbound) or Northampton (northbound), Dover, and Thompson Square stations. This was discontinued in September 1961 to reduce wait times at the skipped stations, all of which were outdoors. The line was known as the Main Line Elevated under the Boston Elevated Railway , and

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8742-413: The Mattapan Line at all times – beginning that March due to severe budget issues. The closure was cancelled, though the lines were closed from June 20, 1981, to January 16, 1982, for track replacement and tunnel repairs. The line was sometimes referred to as the Cambridge–Dorchester line and the Cambridge–Dorchester subway . It was marked on maps as "Route 1". After taking over operations in August 1964,

8883-463: The North Cambridge/Arlington border was proposed by Cambridge mayor John D. Lynch in 1933 and by then-freshmen state representative Tip O'Neill in 1936, but was not pursued. The 1945 Coolidge Commission report – the first major transit planning initiative in the region since 1926 – recommended an extension from Harvard to Arlington Heights via East Watertown. The 1947 revision recommended an extension north to Porter Square instead, with branches along

9024-441: The Quincy branch only had 1500- and 1600-series cars because they had cab signaling. In December 1969, the MBTA purchased Penn Central 's Dover Street Yards for $ 7 million. The site was used for the South Bay Maintenance Center (later Cabot Yard), which included Red Line shops (to replace Eliot Yard) and an adjacent bus garage. A $ 7.8 million construction contract was awarded in 1972, with groundbreaking on September 16. The facility

9165-410: The Red Line. The MBTA added the three-station South Shore Line to Quincy Center in 1971; it was extended to Braintree in 1980, with Quincy Adams added as an infill in 1983. The Red Line Northwest Extension, originally planned to run to Arlington Heights or Route 128 , opened to Davis in 1984 and Alewife in 1985. The Red Line was the last of the four original Boston subway lines (the others being

9306-441: The South Shore line to be largely independent of the existing Red Line, with either a northern terminus at the surface level at South Station or a tunnel leading to a stub-end terminal between Post Office Square and State Street. However, it was later decided to have the line be a new southern branch of the Red Line. The first section of the South Shore line, under construction since 1966, opened on September 1, 1971, branching from

9447-529: The United States Department of Defense added CRRC to a list of "Chinese military companies" operating in the U.S. In February 2024, the European Union launched an investigation into CRRC for allegedly using state subsidies to undercut European suppliers. As of 31 December 2016 , CRRC was majority owned by CRRC Group directly and indirectly (via CRRC Financial and Securities Investment, Chinese : 中车金证投资 for 1.64% ) for 55.91% of total share capital (all in A share ). Other state-owned entities of

9588-399: The Washington Street Elevated had been extended south to Forest Hills . Trains from Washington Street were routed through the new subway, either all the way to Sullivan Square, or back around in a loop via the subway and then the Atlantic Avenue Elevated. In 1919, the same year that the Atlantic Avenue Elevated was partially damaged in Boston's Great Molasses Flood , the Charlestown Elevated

9729-465: The Washington Street Elevated in 1987, using an alignment originally intended for Interstate 95 , completing the modern Orange Line alignment. The downtown stations were lengthened in the 1980s to allow six-car trains. Accessibility modifications began with some of those stations and were completed in 2005. Assembly opened as an infill station in 2014. The Orange Line struggled with reliability issues, including aging infrastructure and trains, throughout

9870-516: The Washington Street Tunnel. The line returns to the surface in the South End , then follows the Southwest Corridor southwest in a cut through Roxbury and Jamaica Plain to Forest Hills station . The Orange Line operates during normal MBTA service hours (all times except late nights) with six-car trains. It uses a 152-car CRRC fleet built in 2018–2024. The Orange Line is fully grade-separated and trains are driven by operators with automatic train control for safety. Wellington Carhouse in Medford

10011-460: The ability to better compete internationally. The merger came into effect 1 June 2015, with each CNR share exchanged for 1.1 CSR shares - the combined company became the largest railway rolling stock manufacturer in the world, and held over 90% of the Chinese market. Total employment of the combine was 175,700 persons, and the share capital was valued at CN¥ 27.289 billion . After the re-merger, CRRC started expanding overseas; after being awarded

10152-531: The additional costs of running service far from downtown. Passengers paid two fares to enter at the stations, and an exit fare when leaving the station. Double fares on the Braintree extension, the last on the system, were discontinued in 2007 as part of a wider fare restructuring. By 1922, the BERy believed that Harvard would be the permanent terminus; the heavy ridership from the north was expected to be handled by extending rapid transit from Lechmere Square . The 1926 Report on Improved Transportation Facilities in

10293-512: The agency's Red and Purple lines, with an option for another 218 cars. The LACMTA order will result in a 41,218 square feet (3,829.3 m ) assembly plant (installing propulsion, HVAC and other general assembly) being built in LA. Delivery of the MBTA Red and Orange Line cars was severely delayed, and problems with electrical shorts, loose brake bolts, and derailments led to several removals of

10434-700: The car's length so that the maximum distance to a door was around 9 feet (270 cm). Upon their debut, the new subway cars were the largest in the world; they remained so until the Toronto M1 cars were built in 1962. A similar configuration was later adopted by the BMT 's Standard cars in New York and the Broad Street Subway cars in Philadelphia. About 20 feet (6.1 m) of the Boston car

10575-847: The central government, such as China Securities Finance (2.87%) and Central Huijin Investment (1.12%), also owned a minority stake. In terms of different shares, BlackRock owned 6.13% H shares in long position (267,971,072 number of shares), or 0.98% in terms of total share capital. Himalaya Capital , a Seattle based mutual fund also owned about 6.13% H shares in long position (267,904,000 number of shares). Other shareholders each owned less than 1% shares in terms of total share capital. CRRC has two operating units: On 8 January 2016 CRRC Corporation purchased 13.06% stake of China United Insurance Holding ( Chinese : 中华保险 ) from China Insurance Security Fund for CN¥4.455 billion. It also joint-owned Zhuzhou Times New Material Technology with parent company CRRC Group . In November 2016

10716-504: The company (via CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive ) confirmed plans to buy Škoda Transportation based in the Czech Republic . The deal eventually did not go through. On 1 March 2024, CRRC 40% with Grupo Comporte 60% entered at Trens Intercidades Proposal with the possibility to deliver 22 inter-city trains, to be used from Luz Station to Campinas since supposidelly 2030. Washington Street Tunnel (Boston) The Orange Line

10857-686: The company over the years, including 704 EMU cars , 81 DMU cars, 44 passenger locomotives, 360 carriages, 107 freight locomotives and 3,500 freight cars, in addition to the 150 200 Series cars for the Subte . In 2017, the Argentine government purchased an additional 200 EMUs from CRRC. In mid-2015, CRRC formed a freight wagon joint venture, Vertex Railcar , as a minority partner with Hong Kong-based private equity firm Majestic Legend Holdings to establish production in Wilmington, North Carolina at

10998-564: The contract to specify the cars be built in Massachusetts, to create a local railcar manufacturing industry. In conjunction with the new rolling stock, the remainder of the $ 1.3 billion allocated for the project would pay for testing, signal improvements and expanded maintenance facilities, as well as other related expenses. Sixty percent of the car's components are sourced from the United States. After delays due to issues with

11139-559: The contract was US$ 632 million up to US$ 1.3 billion with options; as a consequence CRRC began development of a US$ 40 million assembly factory in Chicago, designed by Itasca, Illinois -based Cornerstone Architects Ltd. In March 2017, the subsidiary CRRC MA (based in Quincy, Massachusetts ) was awarded a contract by SEPTA to construct 45 bi-level rail cars with the option for 10 additional cars for delivery in October 2019. The SEPTA order

11280-466: The contractual requirement of 90,000 miles by over a quarter. The Orange Line has two tracks for most of its length; a third track is present between Wellington station and the Charles River portal. This track is used to bypass construction on the other two tracks and for testing newly delivered cars for the Orange Line. The primary maintenance and storage facility is at Wellington station. Had

11421-465: The current Orange Line cars and the old Blue Line cars, ordered at the same time and largely identical except for size and color. In October 2013, MassDOT announced plans for a $ 1.3 billion subway car order for the Orange and Red Lines, which would provide 152 new Orange Line cars to replace the existing 120-car fleet and add more frequent service. On October 22, 2014, the MassDOT Board awarded

11562-477: The downtown corridor was 13 trains per hour or a little less than 5 minute headway which gives a maximum capacity of 20,280 passengers per hour. In October 2018, the MBTA awarded a $ 218 million improved signal contract for the Red and Orange Lines, which will allow 3-minute headways between JFK/UMass and Alewife beginning in 2022. The decreased headway will be achieved through increased vehicle performance, an upgrade of

11703-552: The early 21st century the cloth seats were replaced with black leather seats. More recently the black leather seats were replaced with vandalism-proof reinforced carpet type seats containing multi-colored patterns, as with the other Red Line stock. They have modern AC traction motors with solid state controls manufactured by General Electric , very similar to the Breda A650 for the Los Angeles Metro Rail ,

11844-417: The entire MBTA system was shut down on several occasions by heavy snowfalls. The aboveground sections of the Orange and Red lines were particularly vulnerable due to their exposed third rail, which iced over during storms. When a single train stopped due to power loss, other trains soon stopped as well; without continually running trains pushing snow off the rails, the lines were quickly covered in snow. (Because

11985-518: The eponymous hospital changed its name. The Boston Transportation Planning Review looked at the line in the 1970s, considering extensions to reach the Route 128 beltway , with termini at Reading in the north and Dedham in the south. As a result of this review, the Charlestown Elevated – which served the Charlestown neighborhood north of downtown Boston and the inner suburb of Everett –

12126-731: The existing MBTA Commuter Rail stop at Back Bay . It then continued along new tracks, partially covered and partially open but depressed, to Forest Hills . This MBTA right-of-way is also shared by Amtrak as part of the national Northeast Corridor intercity passenger rail service. While ending more or less at the same terminus (Forest Hills), the new routing passes significantly to the west of its previous route on Washington Street; local residents were promised "equal or better" replacement service. Originally, plans provided for light rail vehicles street running in mixed traffic, from Washington Street to Dudley Square, then diverting southeastward on Warren Street towards Dorchester. In 2002, Phase 1 of

12267-450: The existing ATC system to use higher performance digital components and a reduction in the length of signaling blocks to 500 feet. During snowstorms, the MBTA runs an empty train during non-service hours to keep the tracks and third rail clear. The Red Line experienced major service disruptions in the winter of 2014–15 due to frozen-over third rails, leaving unpowered trains stranded between stations with passengers on board. The Red Line

12408-454: The fault of the contractor at the end of the contract. In 2023, cars were being delivered incomplete with incomplete paint repairs, connectors seen hanging on underframes, and parts sanded down to bare metal. The MBTA and CRRC have collaborated to resolve quality issues. In August 2023, MBTA General Manager has reported that the new Orange Line cars are exhibiting an average of approximately 114,000 miles traveled between failures, which surpasses

12549-498: The full line was 13 minutes slower than before the shutdown, and 20 minutes slower than it would be without any slow zones. On October 25, the MBTA sent a letter to Senator Ed Markey , who had been investigating the project, detailing work needed during November and December to lift remaining slow zones, ranging from always-planned to unexpectedly necessary tasks. In early November 2023, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng announced an ambitious plan to eliminate all 191 slow zones across

12690-457: The inadvertent opening of a passenger door while the train was in motion. Cars were also rechecked in early December 2019, after issues with sounds combined with passenger overload necessitated removal from service. The first train was restored to service in January 2020. The trains were pulled again on March 16, 2021, after a derailment involving one of the cars. Buses replaced trains around

12831-580: The last pre-MBTA transit cars and also the last ones built without air conditioning . With delivery of the 1800-series, all cars were retired from passenger service by 1994 due to mechanical and electrical equipment not being able to operate with six-car trains. Cars 01450 and 01455 were sent to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine for preservation. Four other cars - 01470/01471 and 01480/01481 - remained as Red Line work equipment, but were sidelined after some time and are awaiting disposal. Three series of older aluminum -bodied cars were built:

12972-543: The late 1960s, the project was expanded to follow the Lexington Branch to a terminal at Route 128 . In 1970, Cambridge began advocating for the project, and for the consideration of an all-subway route under Garden Street. That October, then-governor Francis Sargent suspended most highway construction inside Route 128 and created the Boston Transportation Planning Review, which focused on the implementation of new transit routes. In 1972,

13113-574: The line from JFK/UMass to North Quincy on many weeknights. This program did not include work south of Wollaston. In July 2016, the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board approved a $ 18.5 million contract to complete work along the remainder of the southern branches. The project included all remaining third rail replacement, track work between Fields Corner and Savin Hill, signal system work between North Quincy and Braintree, and track replacement at Quincy Center, Quincy Adams, and Braintree. The work

13254-436: The line from Sullivan Square to Oak Grove on certain weeknights and weekends. In October 2018, the MBTA awarded a $ 218 million signal contract for the Red and Orange Lines, which was planned to allow 4.5-minute headways on the Orange Line beginning in 2022. On July 22, 2022, an Orange Line train caught fire while crossing the Mystic River . A metal sill along the underside of the train came loose and came into contact with

13395-425: The mainline at Columbia Junction, just north of JFK/UMass station . Trains are also stored at Braintree (Caddigan Yard), Ashmont (Codman Yard), and Alewife. Eliot Yard, on the surface near Harvard Square , served East Boston Tunnel cars for a short time and Red Line cars until it was demolished in the 1970s. (East Boston Tunnel cars accessed the yard through the now-closed Joy Street portal near Bowdoin station and

13536-584: The mid-1980s. (The Northwest and South Shore extensions had been built for longer trains, while JFK/UMass had been modified in 1970.) In the mid-1980s, the MBTA spent $ 80 million to extend the platforms of seven underground Red Line stations ( Central , Kendall/MIT , Park Street, Washington , South Station , Broadway , and Andrew ) and three Orange Line stations. Six-car trains entered service on January 21, 1988. Central, Kendall/MIT, Park Street, and Downtown Crossing (renamed from Washington in 1987) were completed in 1988. A major reconstruction of JFK/UMass added

13677-512: The necessary demolition. However, land for I-95's Southwest Corridor through Roxbury had already been cleared of buildings; moreover, the state had already committed to using this vacant land for transportation purposes. As a result, instead of an 8-lane Interstate highway with a relocated Orange Line running in its median (in a manner similar to the Chicago Transit Authority 's Dan Ryan , Congress, and O'Hare branches ),

13818-483: The new cab signal standard with any remaining interlocking towers being closed with a relay based centralized traffic control machine being installed in a dispatch office at 45 High Street. This in turn was replaced in the late 1990s with a software-controlled Automatic Train Supervision product by Union Switch & Signal , subcontracted to Syseca Inc. (now ARINC), in a new control room. Subsequent revisions to

13959-400: The new company showed an increase in overseas revenue of over 60%. Half year revenue was CN¥91.8 billion, with a gross profit of CN¥19.5 billion. Non-rail revenue (car equipment, generators) was CN¥20.94 billion. In March 2016, CRRC Qingdao Sifang was awarded a contract to build 400 7000-series cars for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), with an option for another 446 cars. The cost of

14100-464: The new trains from service. The company blamed supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic , but an MBTA official told CRRC MA management it "has completely abandoned its core responsibilities and commitment to lead, monitor and support quality management", and cited 16 specific failure areas. Workers at the site reported problems with quality tracking, trains being advanced through the assembly process despite missing parts, assembly occurring in

14241-425: The opening of the new Harvard station. On September 6, 1983, the new station at Harvard opened, with trains changing direction at Davis Square without carrying passengers. Eliot Yard was demolished; Harvard Kennedy School now sits inside its retaining walls. The line was extended to Davis with a station at Porter on December 8, 1984. The line was extended to its current terminus at Alewife on March 30, 1985. At

14382-437: The original Red Line at a flying junction north of Columbia (now JFK/UMass ). It ran along the west side of the Old Colony rail right-of-way (which has since been reduced to one track), crossing to the east side north of Savin Hill. The northernmost station was North Quincy , with others at Wollaston and Quincy Center . Service began alternating between Ashmont and Quincy. Ashmont service operated with 1400-series cars, while

14523-551: The other three lines based on geographic features; however, according to Chermayeff, the Main Line El "ended up being orange for no particular reason beyond color balance." The firm originally planned for yellow instead of orange, but yellow was rejected after testing because yellow text was difficult to read on a white background. (Yellow was later used for MBTA bus service). The MBTA and transit historians later claimed that orange came from Orange Street, an early name for what

14664-427: The project” after spending $ 50 million on the project. CRRC expressed their disappointment at the cancellation, stating “[they] remain committed to completing the project.” In June 2016 a predecessor company of CRRC, CSR Corporation Limited , was implicated in allegations of bribery to obtain a 2012 US$ 6 billion tender to deliver 600 locomotives to the state owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). It

14805-503: The same year, daily ridership surpassed 200,000. Increased running times – largely due to longer dwell times from increased ridership – resulted in headways being lengthened from 5 minutes before 2011 to 6 minutes in 2016. The increased fleet size with the new trains will allow headways to be reduced to between 4 and 5 minutes at peak. In the interim, a 2016 test of platform markings at North Station which show boarding passengers where to stand to avoid blocking alighting passengers resulted in

14946-510: The site of the derailment until April 12. The CRRC cars remained out of service as of July 2021; defective side bearer pads were identified as a contributing factor. These dampen the movements of the trucks (which include the wheels) with respect to the car bodies, but were found to be wearing in such a way as to produce too much friction. The first of the CRRC trainsets was returned to revenue service on August 20, after modifications were approved by

15087-428: The space would be occupied by the realigned Orange Line, a reconstructed three-track mainline for Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor and MBTA Commuter Rail trains, and a linear park . After this re-routing was accomplished in 1987, the Washington Street Elevated was torn down, the last major segment of the original elevated line to be demolished. Between April 30 and May 3, 1987, the Washington Street Elevated south of

15228-414: The state's Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, FTA Section 5309 New Starts program, and Federal Realty Investment Trust (the developer of Assembly Square). Construction began in late 2011 and finished in mid 2014. The new station, Assembly , opened on September 2, 2014. It was the first new station on the MBTA subway system since 1987. During the unusually brutal winter of 2014–2015 ,

15369-413: The surface and along the west side of the Old Colony mainline in a depressed right-of-way. Columbia and Savin Hill stations were built on the surface at the sites of former Old Colony stations. The remainder of the extension opened to Ashmont and Codman Yard on September 1, 1928, and included Shawmut station , where there had been a surface Old Colony station, but where the new rapid transit station

15510-407: The system were made internally at the MBTA. Scheduled headways were as low as 2 minutes after the 1928 extension to Ashmont. When Stadium station was in use for Harvard football games, headways as low as 1 3 ⁄ 4 minutes were used. Ridership peaked around 1947, when passenger counters logged over 850 people per four-car train during peak periods. After the conversion to ATC, throughput in

15651-505: The third rail, igniting sparks. Passengers had to jump out of the train onto the tracks, and one woman jumped into the river below and swam to shore. There were no injuries or casualties. Following various reliability issues on the Orange Line, the MBTA announced that it would close the entire line for renovations from August 19 to September 18, 2022. During the closure, the MBTA conducted accelerated repairs to track, ties, signals, and concrete walls, as well as replacing two crossovers. This

15792-405: The time, all off-peak trains terminated there, but due to the incomplete construction of a yard at Alewife, only Ashmont trains ran to Alewife during rush hours. Davis was the terminal for rush hour Braintree trains. These trains were finally extended to Alewife during rush hours on December 26, 1985, with the completion of the yard at Alewife. During the expansion, the MBTA pioneered an investment in

15933-553: The tracks and a substitute bus shuttle service. All outbound roadway traffic was detoured from the bridge for the three years of construction. The bridge finished construction in May 2018. During the unusually frigid and snowy winter of 2014–15 , almost the entire MBTA rail system was shut down on several occasions by heavy snowfalls. The aboveground sections of the Orange and Red lines were particularly vulnerable due to their exposed third rail power feed, which iced over during storms. If

16074-443: The train's control system, the first new train entered revenue service on August 14, 2019; Replacement of the signal system is expected to be complete by 2022 on the Orange Line; the total cost is $ 218 million for both the Red and Orange Lines. While waiting for new cars, service has deteriorated due to maintenance problems with the old cars. The number of trains at rush hour was reduced from 17 (102 cars) to 16 (96 cars) in 2011; in

16215-503: The use of six-car trains. Washington and State were made fully accessible, as was the northbound platform at Essex. The Southwest Corridor station opened in 1987 were all fully accessible . Six-car trains entered service on August 18, 1987. Oak Grove was also renovated around 1987. This left only Haymarket , five stations on the Haymarket North Extension, and the southbound platform at Chinatown inaccessible by

16356-441: The wrong order, and being left with nothing to do for months at a time because a disorderly invoice system failed to reliably pay suppliers for parts. In 2023, CRRC received the equivalent of US$ 214 million in state subsidies . In April 2024, SEPTA terminated their order of bi-level rail cars, citing delays and poor build quality. They have stated “The authority is assessing its options for recouping funds that have been spent on

16497-512: Was Wollaston , which was closed from January 2018 to August 2019 for a complete reconstruction. A $ 255 million project, which started in Spring 2013, replaced structural elements of the Longfellow Bridge , which carries the line across the Charles River between the Charles/MGH and Kendall/MIT stations. The project required at least 25 weekend shutdowns, including temporary relocation of

16638-468: Was caused by a broken axle, which had been made brittle by sparks from a faulty grounding component on a motor. Full service resumed on September 25, 2019. Speed restrictions were placed on much of the MBTA subway system in March 2023 due to deteriorated track conditions. Portions of the line were shut down for several periods in 2023–2024 to allow for track work to remove the speed restrictions. A shutdown of

16779-465: Was closed, leaving the subway as the only route through downtown – what is now the Orange Line between Haymarket and Chinatown stations. Ownership of the railway was transferred from the private Boston Elevated Railway to the public Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in 1947; the MTA was itself reconstituted as the modern Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in 1964. On December 5, 1960,

16920-433: Was completed in the second half of 2016. On December 10, 2015, a Red Line train in revenue service traveled from Braintree to North Quincy without an operator in the cab before it was stopped by cutting power to the third rail . The MBTA initially said that the train appeared to have been tampered with and the incident was not an accident, but later determined operator error to have been the cause. On February 21, 2018,

17061-587: Was dedicated on June 24, 1974; on December 28, Bartlett Street garage in Roxbury was closed. Three southbound trains collided inside the Beacon Hill tunnel on August 1, 1975, injuring 132 passengers. Beyond Quincy Center, the Braintree extension runs southward to Braintree , opened on March 22, 1980, via an intermediate stop at Quincy Adams which opened on September 10, 1983 due to delays. The extension

17202-481: Was demolished and replaced in 1975. The Haymarket North Extension rerouted the Orange Line through an underwater crossing of the Charles River . Service in Charlestown was replaced with service along Boston and Maine tracks routed partially beneath an elevated section of Interstate 93 , ultimately to Wellington and then to Oak Grove in Malden, Massachusetts , instead of Everett. Rail service to Everett

17343-458: Was extended north from Sullivan Square to Everett station , over surface right-of-way parallel to Alford Street/Broadway , with a drawbridge over the Mystic River . The Boston Elevated had long-term plans to continue this extension further north to Malden , a goal which would only be achieved decades later, under public ownership and not via the Everett route. Following a 1928 accident at

17484-474: Was extended temporarily to Harvard–Brattle over former yard and storage tracks on March 24, 1979. This allowed for bus transfers to be provided. The Harvard bus tunnel was closed temporarily at the time. On January 31, 1981, the original Harvard station was permanently closed, as its demolition was required. To replace it, a temporary station at Harvard–Holyoke was built across the tracks. The two temporary stations were closed on September 2, 1983 in preparation for

17625-466: Was improved to 14–16 minute weekday headways and 20–22 minute weekend headways on August 27, 2023. The Ashmont and Harvard branches were both built with automatic block signaling and trip-stop train protection , while the Braintree and Alewife extensions of the 1980s were constructed with Automatic Train Control (ATC) using audio frequency cab signaling . In 1985 the entire Red Line was converted to

17766-441: Was improved to nine-minute headways on August 27, 2023. The "T" previously had a fleet of Pullman-Standard heavy rail cars for the Orange Line. These cars, known as 01100s, had been in service since the 1950s, and saw service on both the elevated and the northern extension before they were retired in 1981. Several remained on the property as Red Line work cars for some time before being scrapped. Units 01178-01179 are preserved at

17907-410: Was intended to remove speed restrictions and improve safety and reliability. The shutdown also gave time for more new CRRC cars to be delivered and put into service; after the closure, service on the line resumed with new trains almost all the time. However, the work was not enough to eliminate all slow zones, and temporary slow zones were added where work was performed. By early October, a round trip on

18048-673: Was later incorporated into the mezzanine . Next came the Dorchester extension (now the Ashmont branch ), following a rail right-of-way created in 1870 by the Shawmut Branch Railroad . In 1872, the right-of-way was acquired by the Old Colony Railroad to connect their main line at Harrison Square with the Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad , running from the Old Colony at Neponset , west to what

18189-404: Was made accessible in 2002. Renovations to Community College and Malden Center were completed in 2005, making the Orange Line the first of the four original MBTA subway lines to become fully accessible. In the early 2000s, Somerville began planning an infill station between Sullivan and Wellington to serve the new Assembly Square development. The $ 57 million station was funded by

18330-446: Was modified in 1991, followed by North Quincy in 1998. Charles/MGH was rebuilt from 2003 to 2007. The agency began design for the four Ashmont branch stations in 2001. Savin Hill was closed from May 2004 to July 31, 2005 for reconstruction. It was followed by the completion of the rebuilt Fields Corner station in 2008, the modified Shawmut in 2009, and the rebuilt Ashmont in 2011. The final Red Line station to be modified for accessibility

18471-405: Was not accepted. The last pair, units 01280-01281, were hauled away on July 17, 2024. In late 2008, the MBTA began the planning process for new Orange and Red Line vehicles. The agency originally planned for a simultaneous order for 146 Orange Line cars (to replace the whole fleet) and 74 Red Line cars (to replace the older 1500 and 1600 series cars). A similar order was used in the late 1970s for

18612-479: Was part of the massive 1965 extension plan, although it was delayed due to questions over station siting in Braintree. The Boston Transportation Planning Review , published in 1969, proposed North Braintree and South Braintree stations following the Quincy Center station. Several outlying sections of the MBTA subway system, including Quincy Adams and Braintree, originally charged a double fare to account for

18753-550: Was placed underground. The first phase of the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line opened on August 26, 1929, using the rest of the Shawmut Branch right-of-way, including Cedar Grove station , and part of the old Dorchester and Milton Branch . On January 13, 1961, the MTA began operating " modified express service " on the line during the morning rush hour, following the introduction of similar service on

18894-425: Was planned to have longer headways to account for the lower projected ridership. This extension was opposed by residents of Melrose who preferred restored commuter rail service. Because of this, the express track ends at Wellington and a single commuter rail track continues parallel to the Orange Line north to Reading. Construction of Interstate 95 into downtown Boston was cancelled in 1972 after local protest over

19035-575: Was replaced all at once by 92 married-pair cars from Pullman-Standard numbered 01400–01491. These carbon-steel cars were originally delivered in a blue, white and gold paint scheme (the state colors of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , which funded their purchase), and retained that color scheme into the early 1980s when most were finally repainted into Red Line colors for the opening of the Alewife Extension. The 01400s (or 1400s) were

19176-566: Was replaced with buses. The extension was unique among Boston transit lines as it contained a third express track between Wellington and Community College stations. These stations, along with Sullivan Sq, have two island platform stations as opposed to the more normal single island stations found on the southern side of the Orange Line. This express track was designed for the never-built extension north of Oak Grove to Reading. The third track would have allowed peak-direction express service as well as places to terminate trains. Service north of Oak Grove

19317-623: Was reported that the future South African Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane was implicated in the deal when she worked as Counselor Immigration and Civic Services in South Africa's embassy in China. By 2020 it was reported that funds allocated to pay for an adjusted contract to deliver the locomotives produced by CSR Corporation, now reformed into CRRC, had been frozen by the South African Revenue Service due to possible instances of corruption paid to associates of

19458-601: Was separated by a bulkhead for a smoking compartment. In contrast to the elevated lines, passenger flowthrough was not intended, and every door was used as both entrance and exit. Thirty-five cars of similar design were added in 1919 from the Pressed Steel Car Company , followed by 60 more in 1928 from the Bradley Car Company for the Cambridge–Dorchester subway. The 1912–1928 Cambridge–Dorchester fleet remained in service until 1963, when it

19599-435: Was split up in 2002. In late 2014, CNR Group and CSR Group agreed to merge, subject to approval by the Chinese state. Under the agreement, CNR Group would formally acquire CSR Group (but CSR Corporation Limited would acquire China CNR Corporation Limited ), and the combined business would be renamed CRRC Group and CRRC Corporation Limited respectively. The rationales given for the merger were increased efficiency, and

19740-672: Was to be built at the Springfield plant and car shell manufactured from the Tangshan plant. CRRC was selected over Hyundai Rotem and Bombardier, which also bid on the bi-level contract and had each produced equipment for SEPTA in the past. Later in March 2017, CRRC was awarded a contract to build 64 HR4000 cars for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) that will replace existing vehicles on

19881-479: Was vetoed by then-governor Michael Dukakis . The Environmental Impact Statement , released in August 1977, primarily evaluated the Arlington Heights terminus but also provided for a shorter Alewife extension. By the time the northwest extension began construction in 1978, opposition in Arlington and reductions in federal funding had caused the MBTA to choose the shorter Alewife alternative. The Red Line

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