MBTA Successfully Completes Critical Track Work on Red Line Braintree Branch, Removes 37 Speed Restrictions

The MBTA today announced the successful completion of critical track work on the Red Line Braintree Branch while service was suspended between JFK/UMass and Braintree for 24 days from September 6 to September 29. The Ashmont Branch was also suspended for one day on September 28. As a result of unencumbered access to track areas, crews accomplished important work to lift 37 speed restrictions across 18 miles of track, bringing the track infrastructure into a state of good repair in this area, resulting in a safer, more reliable trip for riders and improving round-trip Braintree Branch travel times by as much as 24 minutes. 

“Well executed coordination by the MBTA has led to the successful completion of Red Line infrastructure work across 18 miles of track,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The undertaking was made possible because of aggressive planning and multi-level coordination across the MBTA.  I want to thank our riders for their patience during the shutdown and express my appreciation to General Manager Eng, his leadership team, and the crews who worked around the clock.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of the workforce that supported and delivered long awaited work for our riders on the Red Line Braintree Branch this month. Hundreds of on-site workers replaced nearly 70,000 feet of rail and over 17,000 ties on the Braintree Branch, nearly doubling the amount of ties replaced during the entire systemwide Track Improvement Program,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “We’re fulfilling our commitment to the public to build back a better T and hopefully rebuild public trust. The work accomplished has allowed us to immediately raise train speeds back to our current maximum speed of 40 miles per hour, returning over 20 minutes of roundtrip travel time to Braintree riders as we now work to further improve travel times along stretches of this Branch where possible. Thank you to the entire MBTA team and our contractors that planned and successfully accomplished the work to provide the public with the safe, reliable and more frequent service they deserve and expect.”

This service change was in place to support critical track and tie replacement work as part of the Track Improvement Program. More than 600 workers were on site during the 24-day service suspension, working 24 hours per day, seven days a week to deliver these critical infrastructure upgrades. Workers also maximized the outage by performing signal upgrades, security enhancements, station amenity upgrades, and more. 

The track work accomplished during these 24 days allowed the MBTA to operate train service up to the maximum allowable speed of 40 miles per hour, but also laid the groundwork for our goal of increasing current Red Line train speeds to 50 miles per hour where possible. Additional critical steps, such as additional Red Line motorperson training, further service and schedule planning, will need to take place before train speeds are increased to greater than 40 miles per hour.

Importantly and with a continued focus on safety of the workforce, this Braintree Branch service suspension also successfully utilized “fall protection” using the MBTA’s internal Maintenance of Way personnel on the DeVaughn flyover area of the Red Line, which is a transit bridge that spans over the adjacent Commuter Rail tracks. Multiple nights of employee fall protection training took place in advance of this service suspension, which allowed work crews to perform work on both directions of track.

With unencumbered access to Red Line stations, crews accomplished the following work:

• Replaced approximately 70,000 feet of rail 
• Resurfaced and tamped approximately 86,000 feet of track 
• Replaced more than 18,000 ties 
• Replaced more than 2,000 spot plates 
• Replaced approximately 3,500 third rail insulators 
• Replaced more than 8,050 feet of guard rail 
• Destressed over 81,080 feet of existing rail 
• Completed approximately 390 thermite/“flash butt” welds 
• Removed and replaced 152 WeeZee bonds with upgrades to additional WeeZee bonds. WeeZee bonds are part of a track circuit’s infrastructure 
• Replaced approximately 1,500 feet of third rail heating elements 
• Replaced and installed 60 track circuit loops  
• Performed 40 timber replacements 
• Replaced rail at four switches areas with four special track “frog” areas replaced 
• Replaced approximately 800 cologne eggs 

As a result of this critical work, the following safety-related speed restrictions are no longer in place:

 A variety of other work also took place along the Red Line to further enhance the rider experience, including: 

• Repairs to the pedestrian overpass at JFK/UMass:
  • The existing pedestrian bridge between spans 1 and 5 was demolished and replaced with a new cast-in-place concrete deck, curbs, drains, and associated infrastructure. Work to complete the new pedestrian bridge will continue following the service suspension.
• Roof replacement work at JFK/UMass and North Quincy
  • On the Braintree-bound platform of JFK/UMass, nearly 22,000 square feet of canopy roofing was replaced as well as the adjoining stairway and pedestrian bridge connecting to the Columbia Road headhouse. Drains were replaced and electrical conduits were secured. Additional roofing work over the Ashmont-bound tracks will also be completed during the overnight hours soon. 
  • At North Quincy, nearly 22,000 square feet of roofing was replaced at canopies, headhouses, pedestrian bridges, and the busway canopy. Drains were replaced and electrical work was performed. 
• Work on the North Quincy headhouse plaza
  • Deteriorating concrete was demolished with new concrete plazas installed in front of the North Quincy’s north headhouse stairs/escalator/elevator entrance. 
• Work crews safely removed approximately 1,500 square feet of asbestos-containing vinyl floor tile, associated mastic, and a black coating from all areas of an internal MBTA office area at Braintree.  
• Approximately 250 square feet of concrete bridge deck repairs were performed on the Elm Street Bridge along with the installation of debris shielding at the over the Red Line and Commuter Rail’s Old Colony Line track areas.
• Inspections and repairs to the Furnace Brook Bridge
• Inspection of the DeVaughn and Anderson Bridges.
• Station stairway and structural inspections throughout the suspension area
• Station door assessments 
• Overhead inspections throughout the suspension area with repair work performed as needed.
• In-station painting, cleaning, and power washing throughout the suspension area, including at busways, lobbies, restrooms, and more.
• Plumbing improvements at Braintree.
• Cleaning and replacement of signage and maps throughout the suspension area.
• Inspections of “pit” tunnel areas throughout the suspension area.
• Stair repairs and inspections at stations throughout the suspension area.
• Power and signal modernization work.
• Security camera upgrades throughout the suspension area.
• Removed scrap rail from the tunnel area.
• Tree trimming and vegetation removal.
• On the Ashmont Branch on September 28, proactive overhead tunnel inspections were performed with repairs made as needed. 

Riders are also encouraged to connect with MBTA staff at upcoming Track Improvement Program pop-up events and virtual public meeting. Events through the end of the year are below:

• Tuesday, October 1
  • Virtual
  • 6 PM – 8 PM
  • More information is at mbta.com/events
     
• Thursday, October 31
  • Station Pop-Up
  • Broadway Station
  • 8 AM – 10 AM 
     
• Tuesday, December 3
  • Station Pop-Up
  • Medford/Tufts
  • 4 PM – 6 PM

More Information