USA: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board has approved a proposal to replace diesel locomotive-hauled trains on Boston’s Fairmount Commuter Rail Line with battery-electric multiple-units.
An onboard battery would be charged when overhead electrification is available, including at Boston’s South station.
The 15 km line from Readville to South Station has nine stations, with a half-hourly service which carries 3 200 passengers/day.
MBTA said BEMUs would provide a smoother ride, more space and significantly lower noise and vibration for passengers and local residents, without incurring the cost of electrification.
The $54m innovation proposal was submitted by MBTA’s contracted commuter train operator Keolis Commuter Services in December and approved on July 25. MBTA and Keolis will now finalise details of the contract, which would see the operator act as project delivery partner for the new vehicles, additional power and charging infrastructure and a new light maintenance facility.
The BEMUs are expected to enter service from early 2028, with trains running every 20 min.
‘There have been discussions about electrifying our rail network for many years’, said MBTA General Manager & CEO Phillip Eng. ‘By embracing new technologies, we will be able to electrify the Fairmount Line sooner within our existing available funding. Understanding the billions of dollars needed to fully electrify our entire system, this is the first step that I believe will pave the way to a profound transformation that can bring the future of our rail network that much closer.’
- As part of the South Coast Rail project to restore passenger services between Boston, Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River, dispatching responsibilities have been transferred from Massachusetts Coastal Railroad to MBTA. Dispatching will now be undertaken by operator Keolis, which will also take over maintenance from February 1 2025, ahead of the start of passenger services in the spring.
