Early morning train derailment impacts Red Line service all day

BOSTON — A disabled train on the MBTA's Red Line at the JFK/UMass stop caused severe delays during Tuesday morning's commute and throughout the rest of the day.

MBTA officials said in a news conference on Tuesday afternoon they anticipated the derailment would affect the evening commute as well. Additional Commuter Rail trains will be available to provide service from South Station to JFK/UMass, Quincy Center and Braintree.

Shuttle buses replaced service between North Quincy and Broadway and Ashmont and Broadway, and additional Commuter Rail trains provided limited service from South Station to JFK/UMass, Quincy Center and Braintree.

Riders are encouraged to follow the MBTA on social media and access their website for updates throughout the evening.

Traffic was expected to be impacted for drivers who take 93/Southeast Expressway near Dorchester as a crane was needed to recover the train. State Police later said the highway was never impacted as they were able to remove the train without the crane.

According to an MBTA spokesperson, a southbound train derailed just outside of the JFK/UMass stop at 6:10 a.m. The issue happened with the third car on a Red Line train and caused significant damage to the train, power, track and signal infrastructure.

In total, 61 people were evacuated from the trains. One person suffered a minor injury but refused to be hospitalized while another passenger complained of neck pains and was transported to an area hospital.

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said that, while Tuesday's derailment is still under investigation, preliminary findings show it is unrelated to the Green Line derailment that happened on Saturday.

The cause of the derailment is still under investigation.

Frustrated MBTA riders who took to ridesharing apps such as Uber and Lyft were shocked to see prices for rides had skyrocketed. According to commuters, a 2 to 3-mile UberX or Lyft trip, which usually costs around $20 - $30 was priced at over $100. Shared rides weren't much cheaper, where one Reddit user commented seeing shared rides valued between $50 to $60.

Mayor Marty Walsh spoke out about the issues facing the MBTA recently, saying the "derailments are unacceptable" and "we need answers, solutions & more funding," emphasizing the need for immediate change.

This is the second derailment on the MBTA this week. On Sunday, a Green Line train derailed, injuring nine people - where investigators believe the driver is to blame.

Not too long ago, a different derailment on the Red Line also frustrated morning commuters. On May 21, a derailed train at the Ashmont MBTA stop affected Red Line service between Ashmont and JFK/UMass.

Related

Cox Media Group