New Rail Cars Ready to Roll!

March 1, 2011

Senator Toni Boucher says “We can finally get service back on track.”

Hartford, CT – Senator Toni Boucher is happy to announce after weeks of going without, commuter rail service just got better here in Connecticut. New M-8 trains will be on the rails as soon as this month.

Senator Toni Boucher, a ranking member of the states transportation committee, is relieved saying, “Our long beleaguered commuters have been waiting for these rail upgrades for decades. This winter has been particularly hard on old antiquated rail cars that have been in disrepair limiting rail service. This is welcome news to those who have been suffering through what has been described as a commuter’s nightmare.”

For weeks Metro North commuters have been in a standing room only situation after service was cut back dramatically, 40% of the rail cars were taken off the line due to mechanical problems from all the snow and ice dumped on the region this winter.

The new M-8 cars have gone through their testing and Senator Boucher has been informed the cars are ready to roll.

“Commuters need to get to their jobs, provide for their families and continue to contribute a significant part of the tax base to the economy, “said Senator Boucher. “Through this very frustrating time commuters have been very cooperative and I hope this underscores the need to upgrade and maintain the most heavily used commuter corridor in the country.”

This is the first wave of 24 cars and it is anticipated that as production ramps up we will receive ten cars a month until the order is completed.

As new and repaired rail cars are brought online schedules will continue to improve. For more information on service updates you can log onto http://www.mymtaalerts.com