Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — With the MBTA subway system free of slow zones, track workers are expecting some lines to be restored to their original speeds.
Jody Ray, senior director for the agency's Maintenance of Way department, told the MBTA board of directors during a meeting Thursday that the Red Line originally had a maximum authorized speed of 50 mph, but that number was reduced to 40 mph around twenty years ago.
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According to Ray, the Red Line service work between the JFK and Braintree stations last fall was strong enough to restore the track to its original top speed.
"We’re at 40 [mph] today, I’m gonna say within a week or maybe two, the Red Line will be back up to 50 [mph]," Ray said.
Ray said crews are also working to restore the Orange Line to its original maximum speed of 55 mph. Like the Red Line, the Orange Line currently tops out at 40 mph.
WBZ NewsRadio spoke with T riders Friday, and while some have noticed faster service with the slow zones being gone, others remain skeptical about the planned speed changes.
"It would be great, but I can’t see the structure they have now being able to accommodate that," one rider said.
Another rider was concerned about the safety of a T train traveling 50 mph, saying, "Right now, I don’t think the train should be going that fast."
During the board meeting, Ray assured the Red Line track is in "very, very good condition."
WBZ's Chris Fama (@CFamaWBZ) reports.