With temperatures nosediving in Greater Boston, the MBTA has been working to take steps meant to ensure trains and buses stay both warm and operational.
The agency has a cold weather plan to help keep things on track. It said it will run trains and buses at or near regular schedules. The key to that is trying to keep all of the trains moving so they are warmed up.
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“Obviously the extreme weather conditions do have an impact on our system," MBTA Interim General Manager Jeff Gonneville said. "We prepare for that, months in advance.”
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Overnight, trains and buses were stored in tunnels, and tracks will be heated up to close any gaps in the rails.
The MBTA said crews are doing regular checks on the cars that remain parked outside. Workers will be opening and closing the doors and testing brakes and propulsion systems to prevent moisture build up and freezing.
"We have crews, our maintenance teams that are actually working on all our vehicles to make sure that their air systems, which control the doors, the brakes in the system are all going to be prepared and ready for this," Gonneville said."
Dealing with the arctic blast is hard enough, but when you have to wait for your train to arrive, it makes things even more brutal.
Many stops on the Green Line are outside, without a lot of protection from the cold and the wind.
"It's frustrating," said passenger Hailey Scatchard. "I wish we had a heated place to stay while you wait outside. It's not ideal."
At Wellington Rail Yard, the T said it would be cycling many of the trains in and out to avoid them idling.
Riders should consider checking train and bus times to make sure things are running on schedule, so they can avoid waiting outside if they don't have to.
