A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority train operator has been taken off the job after a Green Line train derailed Wednesday morning.
The incident happened shortly after 6 a.m. when an inbound train carrying a single passenger derailed at Riverside Station, according to the MBTA. Thirty-five shuttle buses were brought in to substitute service between Riverside and Newton Highlands stations.
The incident, which did not result in any injuries, made for a slow morning for a lot of commuters.
"Yeah, it is an inconvenience," one commuter said. "But what can you do, I guess?"
While delays are common, some passengers said the mechanical mishap is worrisome.
"Sometimes they have a lot of delays. But to hear about derailment — because I take this line Monday through Friday — it's kinda scary," one man said.
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The train was re-railed by 11 a.m. and service resumed just before noon, the T said.
Wednesday's derailment is the latest in a series for the MBTA. According to data provided by the agency, there have been 6 derailments in 2019 and five in 2018.
A preliminary investigation by the MBTA found no issues with the train, track infrastructure, or the signals. T officials said they are focusing their investigation on the operation of the train as it departed Riverside Station.
"The preliminary investigation shows the train's operator did not have the signal system's authorization to proceed," read a statement by the MBTA. "By not allowing the track switch to be properly aligned, the second car of the train came off the rails."
The train's operator has been removed from service while the investigation continues, according to the MBTA.
"I want to apologize to the Green Line customers whose commutes were disrupted this morning," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. "We will complete the formal investigation as soon as possible and take corrective action if needed. We can and we must do better."
