MBTA Eyes Battery Powered Trains Along Worcester Line: Report

WORCESTER, MA — Future commuter rail trips out of Worcester's Union Station could run on batteries, according to a new MBTA proposal.

Searching for a cheaper and faster way to electrify diesel trains running on commuter lines across eastern Massachusetts, the T last month reviewed a plan called "discontinuous electrification," according to Streetsblog. Instead of installing overhead power lines along full commuter rail routes, batteries would power trains part of the way.

Today, diesel locomotives drive trains up and down the Worcester line. Electrifying the line would require installing overhead power lines along the 44-mile route between Worcester, Framingham and South Station — both a costly and time-consuming initiative. The T would also have to electrify multiple other commuter rail lines across the state as part of a plan to decarbonize commuter trains.

According to the Streetsblog report, the Worcester line could be powered by a combination of batteries and overhead wires. The section between South Station and Wellesley Farms, and the section between Worcester's Union Station and Westborough would run on batteries. The stretch between Wellesley and Westborough would get overhead power lines.

The Providence, Stoughton, Fairmount and Eastern lines would also be targeted for battery-powered locomotives.

If the T moves forward with the plan, the first battery-powered trains could be in service by 2030, with full implementation by 2050, according to the report.