A day after the MBTA celebrated the end of critical track work on the Red Line, problems persisted on the T’s Green Line.
A derailment was reported near Lechmere station in Cambridge, sending several riders to the hospital during Tuesday’s afternoon commute, according to the city’s fire department.
The riders were transported for non-life-threatening injuries, the Cambridge Fire Department reported.
Shuttle buses were replacing service between North Station and Medford/Tufts due to the derailment.
“Green Line: Shuttle buses continue to replace service between North Station to Union Square and Medford/Tufts due to an earlier derailment near Lechmere,” the T posted after 6 p.m. “Passengers may also use the route 87 bus for local pick-up.”
Several people were evaluated for injuries, Cambridge Fire reported.
“Catenary power to the train was shut down, several patients were transported for non-life-threatening injuries,” the fire department posted. “FD companies have now cleared from the incident.”
Final update on the Green Line train derailment near Lechmere MBTA: Catenary power to the train was shut down, several patients were transported for non-life-threatening injuries. FD companies have now cleared from the incident.
– NECN photo pic.twitter.com/GoporuHwu3— Cambridge Fire Dept. (@CambridgeMAFire) October 1, 2024
A day earlier, the MBTA announced the successful completion of track work on the Red Line Braintree Branch while service was suspended between JFK/UMass and Braintree for 24 days in September.
As a result of unencumbered access to track areas, crews finished work to lift 37 speed restrictions across 18 miles of track — bringing the track infrastructure into a state of good repair in this area, the T reported. This has improved roundtrip Braintree Branch travel times by as much as 24 minutes.
“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,” T GM Phillip Eng said in a statement. “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.”
