MBTA GM Backs New Commuter Rail Contractor

©2013 Boston to a T

The Mass Bay Commuter Rail Company's (MBCR) eleven year reign over the T's commuter rail system may be coming to end.

After delays and months of closed-door deliberations MBTA General Manager, Bev Scott, has decided to recommend that the T drop the MBCR and award a new contract to Keolis Transportation.

The current contract with the MBCR will expire on June 30.

The new contract calls for an eight-year term with the possibility of multiple two-year options after that.

The T's board of directors will have the final say on who the $1 billion contract is awarded to, which could happen when they meet on January 8.

Keolis, a French base transportation company, is just breaking into the United States. They currently only have one contract, which is with the Virginia Rail Express.

Whether the MBCR or Keolis is award the contract there will surly be some changes happening on the rails here in Boston.

Trouble on the Tracks in Fitchburg

An MBTA commuter rail locomotive went of the rails at the end of the line in Fitchburg Tuesday evening after the train failed to stop due to "slippery conditions".

According to MBTA officials, the incident happened around 8 p.m. during the height of Tuesday night's snowstorm. 

The train was traveling at a low speed (less than 10 Mph) when it entered the station but ended up hitting the railroad bumper at the end of the tracks. These bumpers are meant to stop a train in instances like this. Luckily the bumper did its job and only the locomotive came off the tracks. 

About 40 people were on the train at the time of the accident, but no serious injuries were reported. 

Commuter train in Fitchburg goes off the tracks. It was final stop, and boy was it tough to stop. #7News pic.twitter.com/hq1PoSZORD
— Tim Caputo (@Tim_Caputo) December 18, 2013

About 50 people on board. No one hurt. No passengers were in car that went off the tracks in Fitchburg. pic.twitter.com/1PzEuN4cjg
— Tim Caputo (@Tim_Caputo) December 18, 2013

North Station Woes

Commuters were faced with significant delays coming to and from North Station this morning due to a signal problem. Delayed trains left passengers stranded outside North Station for over a half hour.