‘Nevah a dull moment’: Electrical issue closes parts of Red and Orange lines

Already in the midst of a lengthy Green Line shutdown, MBTA riders were met with yet another obstacle Tuesday morning as an electrical issue at Downtown Crossing halted service along much of the Red and Orange lines.

Shuttles replaced Red Line service between JFK/UMass and Harvard and Orange Line service between Back Bay and North Station for a portion of Tuesday morning’s commute. 

Around 8:30 a.m., the MBTA wrote on X that Red Line service was on standby as crews investigated reports of smoke at Downtown Crossing. In another post, the T described the issue as an “electrical problem” and noted that MBTA maintenance personnel and the Boston Fire Department were at Downtown Crossing.

“The cause of the electrical fire is under investigation, but no immediate safety concerns were identified,” MBTA spokesperson Lisa Battiston said in an email. “The MBTA is committed to keeping riders informed with regular updates through all available channels. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the public’s patience during this unexpected disruption.”

According to the MBTA, officials determined that the smoke — which was coming from a manhole on the Red Line level — was caused by a burning electrical cable used to power the Orange Line.

The estimated delays continued to mount until the T dispatched shuttle buses to replace trains between JFK/UMass and Harvard. Soon after, the T shut down downtown Orange Line service and announced that shuttle buses already in use for the Green Line shutdown would run between Back Bay and North Station. 

Regular service resumed on both lines just before 11 a.m., with lingering delays of about 15 minutes on the Orange Line and around 20 minutes on the Red Line. But needless to say, MBTA riders were less than thrilled about Tuesday’s ordeal. 

“So no Green line, no orange line, and no red….why not shut the Blue line too and go for a clean sweep of ineptness,” one X user wrote. 

“Nevah a dull moment,” another declared. Others shared photos and anecdotes about crowds, long waits in the cold, and expensive Uber rides.

Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.

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