MBTA Red Line Reaches Milestone; Speeds Increase to 50MPH

Crews performed track replacement work along the Red Line. Complimentary photo and caption by the MBTA Customer and Employee Experience Department.

BOSTON - The MBTA Red Line reaches a milestone after work completed for the Track Improvement Program.

In areas along the Red Line’s Braintree Branch, maximum speeds increased from 40 mph to 50 mph. The MBTA says this is an example of the “tireless work from the MBTA’s Maintenance of Way (MOW) team within the Operations Division.” RT&S reported the work had completed in December 2024. With the Red Line increasing speeds in feasible areas, the MBTA can turn its attention and efforts to the Orange Line. It aims to increase the speed to 55 mph between Oak Grove and Assembly. According to the release, it will also focus on state-of-good-repair projects and improving drainage and vegetation management along the Orange Line.

Some of the highlights of the program include growing the workforce by hiring over 100 new people to the MOW team and placing a dedicated focus on advanced planning and materials management that allowed its crews to maximize productivity. Additionally, these crews replaced 250,000 feet of worn rail, or 17% of the network. For the first time in almost twenty years, the use of thermite welding was reintroduced. These eliminated joints that contributed up to 30% of the Red Line’s speed restrictions.

“On day one, the Healey-Driscoll administration stated its commitment to raising the bar with the MBTA to advance capital projects to improve safety and reliability, to hire managers to rebuild and reimagine service, and to foster trust and transparency with customers,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “We have made significant progress under the leadership of General Manager Phil Eng, and the system is already superior to what it was two years ago.  Important work continues, but the customer experience is dramatically better, with faster rides, new cars, clean stations, and more reliable service.”

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the hard work of our team,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “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.”