BOSTON (SHNS) – A new Orange Line car was unharmed when the trailer it was attached to came loose from a truck hauling it across Massachusetts, blocking Interstate 495 early this morning during the process, officials said.
MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the only new CRRC-built car was not damaged in the incident and that another car was successfully delivered to T’s Wellington facility in Medford on Tuesday at night First the state police he tweeted about the problem Tuesday night, saying there was a lane closure on I-495 in Chelmsford “for [a] trailer that separated from the truck,” and the Department of Transportation said Wednesday morning that crews may have to close the road completely after the morning rush hour to remove the large vehicle. No injuries were reported .
The T’s contract with Chinese company CRRC to build new Red and Orange line fleets has been plagued by numerous problems and delays, and agency officials suspended deliveries of the vehicles from July to February to address the which interim CEO Jeff Gonneville called “manufacturing-related issues.”
Two new cars arrived last week, in addition to one on Tuesday night and one on the Chelmsford Freeway now that delivery has resumed, according to Pesaturo. “Prior to entering service, the two new cars at Wellington will undergo the steps of the MBTA’s strict process for accepting rail vehicles after they have been delivered,” Pesaturo said in a statement. “After the cars are unloaded, they undergo an initial inspection. Next, there are a series of static and dynamic tests required of multiple vehicle components and operating systems. In addition, a 500-mile burn-in is required for each car before it enters passenger service.”
