#14 Orange Line Cars 1400-1551 (From Red/Orange Procurement discussion)

Commuterrail1050 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 8:15 am The orange line is the only one that’s been getting new cars about 2-4 each month. Not sure why they haven’t received any more red line cars other than the one set that’s in service. I thought they had 2 red line train sets. Not sure why 1910-1911 has been listed as in testing for quite some time. Also what’s taking them so long to bring back the original 1400-1401 back into service since it was derailed back then.

CRRC has been focusing on the OL cars rather than the RL fleet; I don't think CRRC has enough employees to meet contracted production levels, in addition to all of the other problems they're having.
Given that MBTA has more OL cars than they can run given the available staff, I don't see why they'd prioritize getting 1400-1401 back in operation yet.

Anyone know how many new Orange Line trains are actually in revenue service?

It is claimed at 78 on the Orange line - http://roster.transithistory.org/
10 for the Red.

So if they're running maybe six car trains, that would be thirteen trains?

Head-end View wrote: ↑Fri Apr 28, 2023 7:09 pm So if they're running maybe six car trains, that would be thirteen trains?

Thereabouts, but MBTA isn’t running more than 10 trains at a time on the OL.

So then as I understand it, there will be a reasonable chance of catching one of the new ones on that line when I take a trip to Boston next month, right?

Well LOL, that settles that. Thank you!

I hadn't realized the Orange Line deliveries were completed.

Deliveries aren’t even close to being done but the service is currently so limited that there are enough new trains to cover the reduced service levels.

Interesting........ In what ways is the service limited right now? Fewer trains running or lower speeds? For what reasons?

Head-end View wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 6:44 pm Fewer trains running or lower speeds? For what reasons?

It's both. Staff is short and decades of deferred maintenance has finally caused enough damage that trains run very slowly. Headways are often upwards of 15 minutes, sometimes significantly longer.

Thank you chrisf. Now moving to the Red Line, I know deliveries of the new CRRC cars are significantly delayed. But are there any new cars running on the Red Line at all?

chrisf wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 11:23 pm

Head-end View wrote: ↑Sat Apr 29, 2023 6:44 pm Fewer trains running or lower speeds? For what reasons?

It's both. Staff is short and decades of deferred maintenance has finally caused enough damage that trains run very slowly. Headways are often upwards of 15 minutes, sometimes significantly longer.

The March 2023 schedule is 8 minutes weekdays, 10 Saturday, 12 Sunday. Didn't know it was that bad.

If it is this bad, the published headways should be replaced in the timetable with a note stating "due to
equipment, personnel and operational issues, trains may run on a limited schedule. Check latest
updates and real time info for more details".

There is a #4 Red Line thread, 4-red-line-cars-1900-2151-t170956-75.html As it stands I think the one set that is running according to http://roster.transithistory.org/

- I am not sure about all the Orange and Red lines, but the Blue Line for the last few weeks no longer has the count down signs fully working. It will stay 12-15 minuets until a train gets close and then switch over to a count down. I have seen this even during rush hours on a few occasions. My commute which use to be 35 minuets, is now running about an hour.