BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will increase top operating speeds on the rapid transit Red Line’s Braintree Branch from 40 mph to 50 mph as a result of last year’s Track Improvement Program, the agency has announced.
“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the hard work of our team,” MBTA CEO Phillip Eng said in a press release. “And this is just the beginning. With the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s ongoing investments in infrastructure and the way we are strategically handling our ongoing improvements with the resources we have, we are delivering faster, safer, and more reliable service to maximize results for the public we serve. We are working every day to rebuild and restoring the public’s confidence in the MBTA, and it’s showing us all that when we work together, we can overcome the biggest of challenges.”
The speed increase is expected to take effect within days, following completion of final inspections, the MBTA said. Also planned is an effort to increase Orange Line speeds to 55 mph between Oak Grove and Assembly.
The MBTA completed its year-long Track Improvement Program in December, removing more than 200 slow orders on the rail transit network through a series of 23 full closures [see “MBTA completes work …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 24, 2024].
