Photo: WBZ NewsRadio Archive
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The MBTA moves forward to electrifying the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line.
The agency and Keolis Commuter Service, the maintenance partner for the commuter rail, are searching for a manufacture to build the new, 100 percent electric train carts for the Fairmount line.
The Healey-Driscoll administration approved this project back in August 2024, investing nearly $54 million.
Once completed, the Fairmount Line will be the first Commuter Rail to be fully electric. The goal is to improve service efficiency and lower fuel emissions in the surrounding communities.
“Frequent all-day service every day of the week is how we get people out of their cars and back on transit,” MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng said. “We are committed to delivering this long-awaited initiative to electrify the Fairmount Line.”
The first fleet of the new trains are currently scheduled to enter service in early 2028.
According to the MBTA, the electric fleet will be fast, quieter, and offers less air pollution. The agency estimates this will save approximately 1.6 million gallons of fuel and reduce 17,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
“By electrifying the Fairmount Line, we'll deliver more frequent, reliable service while also moving Massachusetts forward on our climate goals," Governor Maura Healey said in a press release in July.
The Fairmount Commuter Rail Line runs from South Station to Readville, serving nearly 3,200 passengers per day.
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