MBTA Replaces Track to Prepare for Battery-Electric Trains

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has replaced more than 28 miles of rail on the Fairmount Line, marking a significant step toward introducing battery-electric trains.

The work, carried out with Keolis Commuter Services, concluded this month following several months of service adjustments.

The upgrades prepare the corridor for a shift to hybrid battery-electric rolling stock, approved by the MBTA Board in July 2024. The trains are expected to deliver quieter operation, reduced emissions and an updated on-board experience, supported by batteries that charge whenever overhead catenary is available.

With the project now complete, the Fairmount Line will return to its normal timetable on 1 December 2025, offering 30-minute intervals for most of the day. Updated schedules will be published on the MBTA website.

Interim Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said:

Battery-electric trains and the infrastructure supporting them will deliver a quieter, cleaner, and more reliable ride for our passengers. I'm thankful to our riders that use the Fairmount Line for their patience as we accelerated significant track renewal work critical towards bringing battery-electric trains for our riders and neighbours along this corridor. Under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration we are committed to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable service that the public deserve. We thank our operating partner, Keolis, for their efforts to accomplish this work in an accelerated schedule.

The 12 million USD project, which began in June, involved the installation of nearly 158,000 feet of new rail. Maintenance teams also carried out additional station and corridor work, including deep cleaning, graffiti removal, brush clearance and drainage improvements.

John Killeen General Manager and CEO of Keolis Commuter Services said:

I want to thank our Keolis crews who delivered in record time the largest rail replacement project we have ever done in one construction season. Crews replaced an average of a quarter of a mile a day, and on some days as much as a half a mile, so that we could quickly update Fairmount Line infrastructure for the new Battery Electric trains and return the tracks to full service for passengers. I also want to thank Fairmont line passengers and community members for their support throughout this project.

The completion of the Fairmount Line upgrades sets the stage for the next phase of the network’s transition to battery-electric operation, part of MBTA’s broader shift toward cleaner and more reliable rail travel.