Local News

MBTA offers Red Line riders free trip home after derailment leads to morning shutdown

A maintenance vehicle derailed at Park Street early Tuesday morning, damaging the third rail, according to the T.

By Abby Patkin

updated on July 9, 2024

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12:05 p.m. update: The MBTA extended a peace offering to Red Line riders whose morning commutes were upended by a partial shutdown Tuesday, offering free service for the trip home. 

All Red Line station fare gates will be open between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., the T announced in a news release.  MBTA General Manager Phil Eng also offered an apology to riders inconvenienced by Tuesday morning’s shuttle buses.

“While this does not make up for your experiences this morning, we’re committed to continuously improving everything we do,” Eng said of the free afternoon fare. “This is our duty because we care about the public that we serve.”

Regular Red Line service resumed around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday.

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A piece of maintenance equipment derailed at Park Street Station early Tuesday, damaging the third rail and prompting the MBTA to deploy shuttle buses on the Red Line between Harvard Square and Broadway for the morning commute. 

The derailment occurred at about 4:45 a.m. on the northbound Red Line tracks, and repairs to the damaged third rail were expected to take several hours, according to the T. No one was injured in the derailment, the agency said. 

“The MBTA apologizes to Red Line riders affected by this morning’s incident involving a piece of track maintenance equipment,” T spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in a statement. “MBTA crews are working diligently to restore train service as soon as possible.”

The T recommends that riders heading downtown take the commuter rail from JFK/UMass to South Station, or from Porter to North Station. The shuttle buses are not stopping at Downtown Crossing, but riders can board a shuttle at nearby Park Street, the T wrote in an update posted to X. 

The cause of Tuesday’s derailment is under investigation, according to the T. 

The incident occurred as crews were moving materials and equipment for the upcoming 16-day service diversion between Kendall and Alewife, the agency said. Starting Saturday, shuttles will replace trains between the two stations. The disruption will extend to Park Street after 8:30 p.m. each weeknight and all day on the weekends.