Commuter Rail Preparing for Weekend Winter Storm

More than 350 personnel will be deployed to shovel, sand and salt stairs/platforms

BOSTON – January 18, 2019 – Keolis Commuter Services and the MBTA are preparing for a winter storm that is expected to arrive over the weekend with heavy wet snow and cold temperatures from Saturday January 19, to Sunday January 20. While forecasts vary, certain areas on commuter rail could see more than a foot of snow.

“We’re closely monitoring the forecast, particularly the rain-snow line, to properly deploy our resources for our passengers,” said David Scorey, Keolis CEO and General Manager. “Our goal is to minimize the storm’s impact on service to ensure passengers who need to travel can use commuter rail as an alternative to driving in these conditions. Passengers who do have to travel this weekend should leave extra time to get to stations, use caution on platforms and when boarding trains, and stay connected for service updates at www.MBTA.com/winter.”

More than 350 personnel will be deployed across commuter rail to shovel, sand and salt passenger areas, as well as to respond to incidents that occur during the storm, such as downed trees. MBTA and Keolis crews will be pre-positioned at key facilities and infrastructure (switches, signals, etc.) to help ensure normal operations. Switch heaters will be activated in key areas to ensure a normal flow of train traffic. Follow this link for winter-prep video footage.

Recent forecasts from the National Weather Service anticipate a range of snow totals impacting the region where commuter rail operates.

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 www.MBTA.com/winter.