A faulty ‘bolster’ sidelines new trains on Orange Line

On Tuesday morning, the MBTA announced that it had pulled all of its new Orange Line trains out of service. “Inspectors identified a fault with the bolsters which is being corrected to ensure the vehicles are reliable & safe for the duration of their service lives,” the transit authority tweeted. “We expect to return them to service later this week.”

The pullback is the latest setback for the T, which has long been beset by service and maintenance problems and budget deficits, and the latest problem to surface with the new train sets.

Last August, the MBTA began introducing new Orange Line trains, part of a larger plan to roll out 152 new cars to completely replace and expand a fleet that at the time comprised 120 cars. T officials didn’t say how many trains were pulled from service on Tuesday; a spokeswoman was unavailable to offer additional specifics about the problem or impacts on service.

The Massachusetts House plans to debate legislation Wednesday that would raise taxes and fees in part to improve the MBTA.


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