Delays reported on MBTA's Red, Orange lines following reports of smoke at Downtown Crossing

Train service in Boston was heavily disrupted Tuesday morning on both the MBTA's Red and Orange lines following reports of smoke at Downtown Crossing.

Shuttle buses replaced Red Line and Orange Line service at more than a dozen stops in the area on Tuesday morning. Stretches of the Green Line in the same area were also offline for a multi-day, pre-planned closure.

The MBTA said that even Green Line shuttle bus service was impacted, since the buses were accommodating Orange Line riders as well.

The T reported the smoke at 8:22 a.m. Tuesday, as problems began for commuters returning from a holiday weekend.

Red Line: Delays of about 15 minutes while personnel investigate reports of smoke at Downtown Crossing. Trains may stand by at stations.

— MBTA (@MBTA) January 16, 2024

A photo from the scene showed about a dozen firefighters standing outside the entrance to the Downtown Crossing T station.

At 8:36 a.m., the T said on X that passengers at JFK/UMass station could use the commuter rail to get to inbound locations. Ten minutes later, the T reported that buses were replacing train service between JFK/UMass in Dorchester, though Boston, and to Harvard Station in Cambridge "due to an electrical problem at Downtown Crossing."

"Boston Fire Department and our maintenance personnel are on scene. Updates will be provided," the T said.

The problems expanded to the Orange Line shortly after 9:30 a.m. Citing the same "electrical problem at Downtown Crossing," the MBTA said on X that shuttle buses replaced Orange Line trains between Back Bay and North Station. Green Line shuttle buses were extended to run between Copley/Back Bay Stations and North Station to accommodate additional passengers, the T said.

Orange Line: Shuttle Buses replace service between Back Bay and North Station due to an electrical problem at Downtown Crossing. The Green Line shuttles have been extended from Copley/Back Bay to North Station to accomodate passengers.

— MBTA (@MBTA) January 16, 2024

Green Line Shuttle: Riders may experience delays as shuttles have been extended between Copley/Back Bay - North Station to accommodate the disruption of Orange Line service downtown.

— MBTA (@MBTA) January 16, 2024

Regular service resumed and the delays had cleared as of 11 a.m.

Around 2:30 p.m., however, the MBTA reported delays of about 20 minutes due to a "third rail problem" at JFK/UMass. A short time later, the T said shuttle buses were replacing service between JFK/UMass and Ashmont and that trains might be held at stations. Regular service resumed shortly before 3:30 p.m. after the problem was resolved.

State House News Service contributed to this report.