Northeast Corridor Tie Replacement Project

Beginning June 11, 2011

About The Project

This summer, Amtrak will be replacing ties along the Northeast Corridor. This work is needed because railroad ties installed as part of the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project during the 1990s have been determined to have a systemic failure similar to the issues seen on the MBTA′s Old Colony Lines. While work will be performed overnight, this project will impact MBTA commuter rail service along this busy corridor.

The Providence mainline between Back Bay and Forest Hills is where all the Needham, Stoughton, Providence, Franklin, and Fairmount branch lines converge to travel into and out of South Station. This is the most active section of railroad in the state. To mitigate congestion and delays on the affected lines, temporary schedules for all lines will be required for the duration of the project.

Impacts on You

The Needham, Providence/Stoughton, Franklin, and Fairmount lines will see temporary schedule changes throughout the project. Some trains on these lines have been combined or re-timed. The most significant impact will be the elimination of stops at Ruggles Station for the inbound morning peak trains. While there are normally 3 tracks in operation between Back Bay and Forest Hills, this project requires that one track at a time will be taken out of service and remain out of service for an entire month through each phase of this work; the project is anticipated to last for just over three months.

Schedule adjustments will be made to the current commuter rail schedules due to this necessary tie replacement project being performed by Amtrak.

Temporary schedules effective 6/11/2011:

Providence
Needham
Franklin
Fairmount

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are so many lines impacted by the project?

Where are the significant impacts on service?

Some trains have been combined and others re-timed, so it is important that customers carefully review the temporary schedules that may affect their commute during this project.

The most obvious impact is that no inbound morning peak trains will stop at Ruggles Station for the duration of the work. The removal of this station stop is required to reduce congestion, and ensure that all trains remain on time. If we were to stop at Ruggles, the impact of that stop would delay all subsequent trains. Furthermore, there is not enough flexibility in the schedule to recover the service for the evening peak, which would make every train late throughout the day.

However, all outbound trains — including evening peak hour service — will be able to stop at Ruggles Station.

What should I do if Ruggles Station is my stop during the morning commute?

Passengers on the Providence/Stoughton and the Needham lines can take their train to Back Bay Station where a free transfer will be available to take the Orange Line for travel to Ruggles Station. Additionally, some passengers on the Franklin line will also be able to transfer to the Orange Line at Back Bay Station. Customers riding Franklin trains that bypass Back Bay as they travel via the Fairmount line, will need to either get a commuter rail train back to Back Bay for transfer to the Orange line or walk to Downtown Crossing to catch the Orange line to Ruggles.

Why is Amtrak doing this work?

The concrete ties that are being replaced by Amtrak were installed in the 1990s as part of the Northeast Corridor improvement project. Unfortunately, these ties have been determined to have a systemic failure similar to what has been experienced by commuter rail on the MBTA′s Old Colony lines as well as other rail lines in other states.

Amtrak started replacing defective ties along the Northeast Corridor south of Providence beginning in 2010. They are now expanding this work into Massachusetts.

How long will the project take?

The project is scheduled to begin on June 11th and is expected to continue for just over three months, concluding in mid-September.

Tie replacement work will begin at Back Bay Station on the Providence mainline and extending to Forest Hills; this will impact service on the Needham, Stoughton, Providence, Franklin, and Fairmount lines.

There are normally three tracks in operation between Back Bay Station and Forest Hills. However during this work, one track at a time will be taken out of service and it is anticipated that each track will remain out of service for one month. All tie replacement will be done during the overnight hours which will provide a safer environment for workers, and ultimately expedite the project schedule.

Why is this project taking place now?

Inspectors detected the deterioration of the concrete ties early enough to avoid any serious complications, but if the problem is not addressed promptly, it will result in speed restrictions that will severely delay a significant volume of travel into and out of South Station, including commuter rail traffic and Amtrak intercity trains.

Failure to replace these ties could result in potentially unacceptable safety hazards. The number one priority for all train service providers is the safety and well-being of their customers and employees which makes replacing the ties an essential project.

Why is work restricted to overnight hours?

Federal Railroad Administration safety rules for track workers require that there is no train travel through project areas during this type of work. Given the logistical challenges of the project, there was no way to feasibly conduct daytime work safely and still maintain a high level of service.

How many ties will be replaced?

A total of 38,000 ties will be replaced on three tracks over a 4.2 mile span.

With the loss of a mainline track for three months, will daily train service be impacted in the event of equipment failure?

The MBTA and MBCR will have extra staff and equipment on hand throughout the duration of the project to address any service interruptions that might arise.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority