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MBTA. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I’M BEN SIMMONEAU. >> I’M ERIKA TARANTAL. THE MAYOR TWEEING JUST MOMENTS AGO, "IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ASK RIDERS TO PAY MORE FOR LESS. THE MBTA IS MAKING PROGRESS TO FIX THE RED LINE, BUT WE NEED FULL RESTORATION ON A FASTER TIMELINE." HIS COMMENTS COME AFTER THE T PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE PROBLEMS ON THE RED LINE THAT JUST KEEP ADDING UP. BEN: A SMOKEY COMMUTE FOR SOME THIS MORNING. CAMBRIDGE FIREFIGHTERS SAY A RED LINE TRAIN WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AFTER THEY RESPONDED TO A MECHANICAL ISSUE. THERE WERE REPORTS OF SMOKE AND HAZE AT KENDALL, CENTRAL, AND HARVARD STATIONS. NOBODY WAS HURT. NEWSCENTER 5’S DUKE CASTIGLIONE LATEST. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THESE DELAYS ARE NOT GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON AS THE MBTA CONTINUES TO MAKE REPAIRS FROM THAT JUNE 11 DERAILMENT. THIS AFTERNOON ON THE PLATFORM OF THE JFK/UMASS STATION, THE MBTA GENERAL MANAGER STEVE POFTAK GAVE AN UPDATE ON REDLINE SERVICE. >> RIGHT NOW WE HAVE GOTTEN THE RED LINE TO THE POINT WERE DURING THE RUSH HOUR, WE ARE RUNNING 10 TRAINS PER HOUR, FULL SERVICE IS MORE LIKE 13-14 TRAINS PER HOUR. >> POFTAK EXPECTS SERVICE AT RUSH HOUR TO STAY THAT WAY THROUGH AT LEAST LABOR DAY, AND ASKS COMMUTERS TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW EXTRA TO AND FROM THEIR DESTINATION. >> WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO LEAVE AN ADDITIONAL 10 TO 20 MINUTES. >> IN SOME CASES, EVEN MORE TIME. WE CAUGHT UP WITH JEFFREY KRUSKALL AS HE TRIED TO MAKE HIS WAY FROM JFK/UMASS TO BRAINTREE. >> YES, I HAVE BEEN WAITING HERE ALMOST 30 MINUTES WAITING FOR THE TRAIN. >> ANOTHER COMMUTER TELLING US WHAT HER DAY IS LIKE NOW SINCE THE DERAILMENT. >> VERY FRUSTRATING. YOU HAVE TO BUDGET THAT EXTRA 20 MINUTES TO GET TO WORK. >> YOUR COMMUTE IS AN EXTRA 40 MINUTES A DAY? >> YEAH, I DIDN’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, BUT YEAH. >> THE FARE HIKE WILL GO INTO PLACE MONDAY, JULY 1. THE MAYOR IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. MICHELLE WU WILL ORGANIZE A PROTEST CALL THE BOSTON TEA

Advertisement Red Line delays expected through Labor Day, even as MBTA plans to accelerate repairs Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The MBTA announced Friday an accelerated repair schedule for the Red Line’s signal system. A Red Line train derailed in Boston on June 11. Initial recovery efforts were focused on repairs to track and power systems in the area of JFK/UMass Station, the MBTA said.After the derailment, trains could only run at a rate of about one train every 10 minutes, or six trains per hour, during peak travel hours through the Red Line core, which spans from JFK/UMass to Alewife.With both contractor personnel and MBTA forces working around the clock, train speeds could safely increase to 25 mph through most of the affected area. As a result, the MBTA was able to restore Red Line frequency to one train every six minutes during rush hour, or about 10 trains per hour. Full service during rush hour is 13 or 14 trains per hour, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said. "We have put forward a tremendous effort by the entire operations team and the entire captial delivery team to get to the point where we can do 10 trains per hour. This level of service will be in place through Labor Day," Poftak said. Commuters who ride the Red Line are advised to allow an extra 20 minutes for their trips this summer. The MBTA said to safely operate trains at six-minute intervals, while also allowing crews to continue signal-system repairs, Red Line trains are passing through the JFK/UMass area under a carefully controlled manual operation. More than 50 people at a given time are needed to safely coordinate the movement of trains between the Red Line core and the Braintree and Ashmont branches, the MBTA said.“While we recognize anything, but full service falls short of our customers’ expectations, our current recovery schedule reflects the MBTA’s urgent approach to the massive task of returning the Red Line to full service,” said Poftak. "As recovery efforts continue, I want to thank the MBTA workforce for their urgency and professionalism, and I want our customers to know that we deeply appreciate their patience.” "It is unacceptable to ask riders to pay more for less," Boston Mayor Marty Walsh responded on Twitter. "The MBTA is making progress to fix the Red Line, but we need full restoration on a faster timeline."