BALTIMORE — Service on the Baltimore Light RailLink line will resume Saturday, just over two weeks after it was suspended to allow for emergency rolling-stock repairs, the Maryland Transit Administration announced today (Friday, Dec. 22).
Mechanics have finished work on 18 cars, WBAL-TV reports, with at least 14 available for service on Saturday. The 30-mile, 32-station system was shut down Dec. 8 following the discovery of problems with punctured electrical conduits and connecting cables between cars that led to a fire on one train and “smoke incidents” on three others [see “Baltimore light rail line shut down …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 8, 2023].
Service is set to resume at 4:58 a.m. on Saturday. The MTA said light rail service will be free until Jan. 2, 2024, “as a courtesy to riders.” Shuttle bus service that had replaced the light rail operation will be discontinued.
“We’re thrilled to welcome our valued riders back aboard light rail,” MTA Administrator Holly Arnold said in a press release. “Safety will always be our top priority and I thank our riders for their patience as we completed necessary inspections and repairs.” Said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld, “I thank our dedicated Maryland Transit Administration employees and our contractor’s workforce for all they’ve done to advance these reviews while maintaining safety as our highest priority.”
So, if service is starting back up with only 1/3 of the fleet inspected/repaired, that must mean that the wait between trains is much longer.