USA: Keolis Commuter Services has issued a request for proposals for the supply of seven battery-electric multiple-units for use on Boston’s Fairmount Line from 2028. It is also seeking proposals to finance the order under a leasing agreement.
The BEMUs would combine overhead electrification with onboard batteries charged when wires are available, such as at South station.
A proposal to use BEMUs on the 15 km line from Readville to South Station with nine stations was approved by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board in July 2024, and since then it has been working with Keolis to finalise the contract details and technical specifications. Replacing diesel loco-hauled trains with BEMUs is expected to reduce the environmental impact of operations while improving safety and reliability. This is intended to offer a ‘best-in-class passenger experience’ with shorter journey times and services increased from every 30 min to every 20 min.
The RFP ‘is a major step as we continue to move toward building a regional rail system that will truly transform the passenger experience’, MBTA General Manager & CEO Phillip Eng said on January 23. ’Frequent all-day service every day of the week is how we get people out of their cars and back on transit’, he added.
- On January 28 MBTA announced that PTC and ATC is now active across all 12 of its commuter rail routes. ‘This is the kind of behind-the-scenes project that riders may not physically see but required a monumental effort and results in the safest service possible for both our riders and employees’, said Eng.
