MBTA's Red Line fleet replacement might not be finished until the 2030s
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Replacing all of the MBTA's Red Line train cars could now take until at least the early 2030s, according to its latest spending plan.
Why it matters: Supply chain problems, international economic winds and other tensions with the Chinese manufacturer have delayed the replacement cars that were originally expected to be in place by the end of the 2010s.
State of play: The MBTA's FY2026 capital plan now puts the completion date within FY2032, meaning the T doesn't expect to close out the contract until 2031 at the earliest.
- New cars could be put in service before then, but the T is admitting the current deadline for an all-new Red Line by the end of 2027 is no longer achievable.
Catch up quick: The MBTA awarded CRRC MA the contract in 2014 to replace a Red Line fleet that had far outlived its 30-year intended lifespan.
- An MBTA spokesperson told Axios CRRC is developing a revised delivery schedule for the cars.
Catch up quick: The MBTA awarded CRRC MA the contract in 2014 to replace a Red Line fleet that had far outlived its 30-year intended lifespan.
Zoom in: Several problems stacked up after the contract was awarded.
- COVID-19 shutdowns and freight bottlenecks have significantly slowed manufacturing.
- Tariff-driven cost increases have made building the cars more expensive.
- Workforce and throughput limits at the Springfield plant have hampered production, while quality failures, including wiring and doors, required reworks.
By the numbers: The T added $148 million to the deal in a March 2024 contract reset that set the target completion date to December 2027.
- 68 of 252 cars were accepted by the T as of July 2026.
Between the lines: New cars go longer between failures than the old legacy ones.
- The line still depends heavily on aging vehicles, which crews keep running through custom fabrication and parts harvested from retired trains.