Commuter Rail Preparing for Extreme Heat

Federal regulations require speed restrictions if a certain track temperature is reached. Passengers should be aware of potential delays

BOSTON – July 22, 2022 – With extreme heat predicted for Massachusetts this weekend, Keolis Commuter Services and the MBTA are preparing for high track temperatures that may require speed restrictions causing delays and other service impacts. Passengers who will be traveling this weekend should leave extra time for their journey and check for service updates at mbta.com/alerts.

“We will be closely monitoring the conditions throughout the period of extreme heat. There will be crews deployed across the network to determine where speed restrictions are required to ensure safe operations,” said Abdellah Chajai, Keolis CEO and General Manager. “Our goal is to prioritize safety and minimize the service impacts so that passengers who need to travel this weekend can rely on the Commuter Rail.”

In instances of extreme heat, the track may reach a temperature for which federal regulation requires speed restrictions be put in place for safe operation. Track temperatures are impacted by high ambient temperature combined with prolonged direct sunlight.

MBTA and Keolis personnel will be deployed across Commuter Rail to actively monitor track temperatures to determine if federally mandated speed restrictions must be implemented and when they can be lifted. Speed restrictions could lengthen trips by 20-25 minutes depending on the length of the trip. There could be further residual delays depending on how long speed restrictions remain in place.

Passengers can stay connected with Commuter Rail by calling customer service at 617-222-3200, following @MBTA_CR on Twitter or signing up for T-Alerts at mbta.com/alerts.