The Financial and Management board of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) voted to exercise a contract option to initiate the overhaul of 27 additional commuter locomotives. Under an existing contract, MBTA is in the process of overhauling 10 F40 models of the so-called “legacy fleet” of commuter locomotives.
The option to overhaul the 27 additional locomotives is expected to cost approximately USD 78.3 million. The first of the option units is expected to be returned to the MBTA by November 2020 with the last of the 27 to be completed by late fall 2021.
Originally approved in June 2017, the ongoing contract with Motive Power, Inc. returned the first of the overhauled F40s to passenger service in March 2019. The second F40 is scheduled to soon return to service while the remaining 8 will return on a rolling basis with the all 10 expected to return by the end of August 2019.
“These locomotives will be crucial to improving daily reliability and allow us to operate the system while we plan for the future of Commuter Rail,” MBTA General Manager, Steve Poftak, said.
The programme consists of completely rebuilding and refurbishing the F40 models with additional upgrades, including remote monitoring and diagnostics, forward-facing and cab cameras, and modern brake and control systems.
The MBTA originally purchased F40s in two segments. The first segment included 25 locomotives that were put into service between 1987 and 1988 and the second segment of 12 locomotives joined the MBTA’s fleet in 1991.
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