Needham Commuter Rail Line Service Suspended On Saturdays

NEEDHAM, .MA — The MBTA announced it's temporarily suspending the Needham Commuter Rail line's service on Saturdays, beginning on Aug. 3. According to MBTA officials, the suspension in service is needed to begin the second phase of constructing positive control technology. The lack of Saturday service is expected to last through Oct. 12.

Positive train control systems are designed to automatically stop a train before crashes occur, including train-to-train collisions, derailments, and trains moving through misaligned track switches.

"Positive Train Control is a key investment that will result in a significant safety upgrade for our customers across the entire Commuter Rail network," MBTA general manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. "While we continue our efforts to improve service by investing in vehicles, power systems, signals, and track, we are also integrating this new, state-of-the-art technology that brings Commuter Rail safety into the 21st century."

• From Needham Heights, Needham Center, or Needham Junction, customers can instead take Bus Route 59 to Newton Highlands on the Green Line D branch or to Watertown Square.
• From West Roxbury, Highland, Bellevue, or Roslindale Village, customers can instead take Bus Routes 35, 36, or 37 to Forest Hills on the Orange Line, which serves Ruggles and Back Bay
• Customers who typically board at Hersey Station are encouraged to travel to Needham Junction or West Roxbury Station as there are no connecting MBTA services at Hersey.