Three and a half months after a Red Line train veered off the rails, dealt significant damage to signal infrastructure and incurred millions in costs, the MBTA announced Wednesday that full service has resumed across the entire network.
Trains are again running on fully functioning automatic signals with about 14 per hour moving through the downtown area at rush hour and about 10 per hour during midday, the standard level before the June 11 derailment disrupted the system.
MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said Wednesday that the total costs of wages, repair materials and services needed to repair the Red Line were about $5.4 million.
Incremental improvements had been made over the summer, but even when MBTA officials announced last week they determined a faulty electrical connection cracked an axle and caused the derailment , they said some delays could last into October.
The incident came about three weeks before fares increased. Gov. Charlie Baker filed a bill to invest $50 million in improvements that has faltered; the House is planning a debate this fall on transportation revenue.
"While I’m pleased Red Line service has been restored, this event underscores the level of urgency we need to continue to build a better T," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a press release. "I want to express my deepest gratitude to our customers for their patience while restoration work took place. I also want to thank our entire workforce and contractors for their efforts to work seven days a week to restore the system to normal."
