Local News

Scenes from the return of the Orange Line

Service restarted Monday after a 30-day shutdown.

Forest Hills Station early Monday morning. David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe

By Madeleine Aitken

1 minute to read

After an unprecedented 30-day shutdown, the Orange Line is back.

The first trains departed Oak Grove and Forest Hills at 5:16 a.m. Monday, officially reopening the Orange Line, the MBTA said.

The MBTA came under fire this summer after the Federal Transit Authority investigated the agency and released a damning report amid a death on the Red Line and an Orange Line train catching on fire.

After the report was released, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu advocated for extended shutdowns to allow for time to fix major infrastructure problems after the FTA identified lack of maintenance as one of the reasons for the state of the system.

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Wu and the City of Boston were involved in the organizing of replacement shuttle buses and dedicated bus lanes. Alternate transportation options were especially important as school began for many students during the shutdown.

Gov. Charlie Baker said at a press conference Sunday that the 30-day closure allowed the MBTA to “complete five years of improvements to track and signal infrastructure.”  

Though some delays have been reported, so far Monday morning, things seem to be running mostly smoothly.

See what the return of the Orange Line looked like:

A commuter races to board an inbound Orange Line train at Oak Grove. Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
A commuter waits to board an Orange Line train at Oak Grove. Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
Commuters ride inbound into Boston from Oak Grove. Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
Sunshayna Luma of Hyde Park, a senior at Fenway High School, on the Orange Line to school. David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe
Commuters on an Orange Line train at Oak Grove. – Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe, File
Commuters ride inbound into Boston from Oak Grove. – Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
A commuter boards an Orange Line train at Oak Grove. – Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
Commuters at Oak Grove. – Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
Commuters arrive at Oak Grove. – Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
Students head to school after getting off an Orange Line train at Forest Hills. – David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe
Johnny Hennessey gets greeted by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on his 56th birthday while riding the Orange Line to Boston from Forest Hills.

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