New Red Line trains delayed again

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 16, 2026

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced further delays in the delivery of the remaining 184 new Red Line subway cars, pushing the expected completion date to at least 2029. These setbacks exacerbate challenges in replacing aging trains, raising safety concerns among transit advocates and underscoring the need for clearer timelines to improve service reliability.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is confronting another delay in the delivery of new Red Line subway cars, extending a long-standing challenge in modernizing the aging fleet. The agency announced that it will provide an updated timeline for the remaining 184 cars expected to arrive this winter, although no specific dates have been confirmed.

To date, 68 new cars manufactured by CRRC have been delivered, with another 40 units currently in assembly at the Springfield factory and 10 en route from China. CRRC plans to open a second assembly line early next year in an effort to speed up production. Approximately 40 percent of the more than 200 Red Line cars presently in service are newly manufactured.

The original $567 million contract, signed in 2014, aimed for a full fleet replacement within a decade. However, numerous obstacles have impeded the project’s progress. Manufacturing challenges, supply chain disruptions—including complications from the COVID-19 pandemic—and tariff issues have repeatedly delayed delivery. Additionally, in 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained train car shells from CRRC in Philadelphia amid forced labor allegations. These shells were later released in March 2026.

Despite these setbacks, the MBTA extended its contract with CRRC in 2024 with an additional $148 million to acquire a total of 404 new orange and Red Line trains, bringing the overall project cost to more than $1 billion. The agency now expects the final cars will not be delivered until at least 2029, with the contract continuing through fiscal year 2032.

While the Red Line has experienced some service improvements—marked by a reduction in accidents and the restoration of safety oversight by state regulators in September—several railcars dating back to the 1970s are still operating. MBTA’s heavy rail fleet averages 25 years in age, a figure comparable to other major U.S. transit systems such as Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.

Transit advocates have voiced concerns about the ongoing delays. Reggie Ramos, executive director of Transportation for Massachusetts, highlighted safety issues tied to operating antiquated trains past their expected functional lifespan. Similarly, Chris Friend, interim executive director of TransitMatters, pointed out that mechanical failures remain a significant source of service disruptions and called for greater transparency regarding the revised delivery schedule to help improve train frequency and reliability.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.