FOX25 Investigates: Is the MBTA ready for winter?

Derailments, broken switches, and fires are all issues that plague the MBTA and Commuter Rail, and not one snowflake has fallen yet.

Two winters ago, trains were stuck in the snow, leaving thousands of riders stranded on platforms and on trains. FOX25 Investigates asked for answers from the top of MBTA and the Commuter Rail officials about what is happening right now to avoid a repeat of freezing and frustrating commutes.

TIMELINE OF NON-WEATHER  ISSUES

• Feb. 18:  Broken switch along Amtrak rail shuts down South Station. Commuters diverted to Back Bay
• Oct. 23:  Smoking Orange Line train at Back Bay. Passengers kick out windows to escape.
• Oct. 30: Green Line derails near Boston College. Operator error blamed. 

COMMUTERS FRUSTRATED

A recent audit found the Green Line had the most derailments of any light passenger rail in the country and none of these problems had anything to do with winter weather.

FOX25 spoke with many T riders and found a common theme in their concerns:

"I don't get to work on time."

"Nothing has really happened yet and it seems there's just been this slew of delays, disasters."

"The trains are not reliable."

"My fear is that they're going to be caught sleeping again and not prepared."

HOW THE MBTA IS FIXING THE PROBLEMS

MBTA Interim General Manager Brian Shortsleeve said there are only two seasons for the T.

"The first is winter. The second is winter is coming. So we are totally focused on preparation," he said.

FOX25 Investigates asked how the MBTA can assure riders they are ready for winter when it seems they were not ready for summer, spring, or fall.

"We owe it to our riders to make this service run better and I can tell you as a rider myself , everyday this team is out there working hard to improve this system," Shortsleeve said.

According to Shortsleeve, preparation began immediately after the disastrous winter of 2015 with an $80 million investment in equipment. The MBTA has invested another $30 million this winter in preparation and snow equipment.

One of the major projects is replacing third rail heaters on the Red Line, which should be completed by the end of fall.

The MBTA is also employing new diagnostic tools that essentially takes x-ray images of the tracks to find issues before they surface.

COMMUTER RAIL FIXES AFTER WINTER 2015

Keolis General Manager David Scorey runs the Commuter Rail in Boston and said an investment has been made equipment and training.

"The big investment this year has been in training of our people and making sure our people are ready," he said.

Other changes implemented by Keolis include running trains all night during storms to keep the tracks clear and parking unused trains in areas where they are not exposed to weather.

Scorey told FOX25 he is confident the Commuter Rail is ready for winter.

"We are totally focused on making sure this system is ready for winter time."

Cox Media Group