MBTA Red Line free this evening after maintenance equipment accident shuts down morning service

In a statement today, the MBTA announced that the Red Line will be free to passengers this evening, with fair gates open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

This decision comes after a piece of maintenance equipment derailed on the northbound Red Line track at Park Street station this morning, damaging the third rail.

The incident occurred while crews were preparing for the upcoming 16-day Red Line Track Improvement Program.

Crews worked to rerail the equipment, move it off the track and perform repair work. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

While the crews were working on repairs, Red Line service was replaced with shuttle buses between Harvard and Broadway stations, with the buses being phased out as train service resumed at about 10:15 a.m.

“We apologize to our riders affected by this morning’s incident involving a piece of track maintenance equipment. Understanding the impact of this issue, the Red Line will be free this afternoon and through the peak evening commute,” said Phillip Eng, MBTA general manager and CEO. “While this does not make up for your experiences this morning, we’re committed to continuously improving everything we do. This is our duty because we care about the public that we serve.”

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