(The following article by Emily Shartin was posted on the Boston Globe website on September 18.)
BOSTON — Aiming to fix faulty air conditioning and replace dirty, scratched windows, the state’s commuter rail system is about to launch a $25 million program to rehab nearly half of its passenger coaches, the first comprehensive repair plan for many of the aging cars.
The repairs, part of a project known as the Coach Reliability and Safety Program, will focus on air conditioning, toilets, windows, wheels, and other mechanical systems in 162 single-level coaches. The repairs will not include locomotives, according to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Officials with the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, which operates the commuter rail on behalf of the authority, said that each of the 376 coaches in the fleet has received some kind of repair in the past two years.
The new maintenance effort is meant to be a more long-term fix, and in many cases, the work is overdue: Many of the cars are at least 15 years old, and the manufacturer recommends an overhaul after about 12 years, according to the authority.
Stephen Urban, deputy general manager for the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, said only four cars will be out of service for repairs at any given time, so cars in use should not become overcrowded.
Problems with air conditioning and windows are complaints routinely voiced by commuter rail passengers, along with complaints about delays and a lack of parking at commuter rail lots.
Joe Loftus, who regularly takes the train from Natick to Boston, was optimistic that the latest round of repairs could help.
”I certainly think that is a good thing,” he said.
Bob Ryan, who lives in Shrewsbury, said a lack of air conditioning has continued to be a problem, as have faulty speaker systems.
Some passengers have trouble hearing what stop they’ve arrived at, he said, and can’t look outside to see for themselves.
”You literally can’t see out the window,” he said.
Ryan was less certain about whether passengers can count on improvement.
”If it were actually to happen, it would be great,” he said.