MBTA officials said Red Line service to Ashmont and Braintree was restored Tuesday afternoon, hours after a train derailed just outside the JFK/UMass station during the morning commute.
However, the agency warned customers to expect continued delays on the Red Line, and encouraged riders to instead take the additional commuter rail trains being deployed.
The derailment injured one person and caused severe delays to commuters.
The Boston Fire Department said earlier Tuesday that the injured person declined EMS treatment. Sixty people were evacuated, the department said.
In a statement released at around 4:30 p.m., the T said Red Line trains would be moving at reduced speeds as a precaution, and riders should anticipate commutes taking between 15 to 20 minutes longer than usual.
Riders heading toward Braintree will need to change Red Line trains at the JFK/UMass stop, whereas passengers heading toward Ashmont will be able to remain on the trains, the statement said.
The statement encouraged customers heading toward Braintree to take the Middleborough/Lakeville, Kingston/Plymouth or Greenbush commuter rail lines. The statement noted that the Greenbush line stops at JFK/UMass and Quincy Center, but does not stop in Braintree.
Meanwhile, riders traveling toward Ashmont were asked to consider taking the Fairmount commuter rail line. All T riders need only show T tickets or passes to ride these commuter rail lines, the MBTA said.
The extra commuter rail trains will be provided Tuesday evening and also for inbound service Wednesday morning.
At 7 p.m., the statement said, drivers should note that lanes will be closed on Columbia Road at I-93 so that a crane can help with the derailment.
At a 2 p.m. news conference, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak had estimated that the derailed train would be removed within 24 hours.
In the press conference, Poftak said MBTA officials did not have a cause yet for the derailment.
The incident came just three days after a Green Line D Branch train derailed, sending nine people to the hospital. MBTA officials have said Saturday’s derailment was caused by an operator.
Poftak said the T is launching an outside review of all derailments from the last two years. He said there have been four derailments on the system so far this year.
“I want a fresh set of eyes on this to make sure we’re not missing something,” said Poftak, who added that he believes the train system is “safe” and that he uses it every day.
“We understand very clearly that the situation with these derailments is not acceptable and we are taking steps to address that,” he said.
Ride-hailing prices reportedly spiked after Tuesday’s derailment. According to the Boston Globe, Lyft prices to go from the JFK/UMass station to downtown Boston spiked as high as $123 around 8:15 a.m.
With reporting by State House News Service
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This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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