• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

MBTA AND KEOLIS TAKE SAFETY STEPS IN WILMINGTON

Written by SHIRA LAUCHAROEN Posted February 23, 2022 Filed Under: News, News to Us, NEWS+OPINIONS

This works comes in the aftermath of a deadly accident near the North Wilmington Station


The MBTA has announced that, together with Commuter Rail operator Keolis, it will be taking “additional steps to enhance the protocols for testing the train crossing’s protection system on Middlesex Avenue in Wilmington.” They have stated that they have tested equipment multiple times and are focused on the “human element” of federally mandated railroad crossing testing.

These steps have been taken after a 68 year old woman, Roberta Sausville, died in a deadly crash, on January 21. Her vehicle was hit by a commuter rail train on Middlesex Avenue, by the North Wilmington Station. Leaders from the MBTA and Keolis made statements about their efforts to ensure safety.

“I’d like to assure the community that the protection system at the Middlesex Avenue railroad crossing is safe and fully operational,” said MBTA general manager Steve Poftak. “On top of our regular maintenance, inspection, and testing procedures, additional rules and instructions for Commuter Rail personnel have been introduced to provide another layer of safety-related enhancements.”

“Safety for our people, our passengers and the communities that depend on commuter rail service is our first priority at Keolis,” said Abdellah Chajai, Keolis Boston CEO and general manager. “We will continue to work with the MBTA and our crews to ensure safe operations at this location and across the network.”

Keolis has retrained its signal maintainers on procedures, and both the MBTA and Keolis have initiated some new measures:

  • After the testing is completed, the Commuter Rail dispatchers must request, and receive, affirmation from the signal maintainer that the protection system is enabled.
  • Following the step mentioned previously, the signal maintainer must remain on-site until the next train passes to ensure the crossing’s protection system is fully operational and, if necessary, be prepared to manually control the protection system if the system does not perform as expected.
  • New signage will be installed on the inside of each signal bungalow door to serve as a visual reminder to Keolis personnel to ensure that the crossing equipment has been fully and properly returned to service.

SHIRA LAUCHAROEN

Shira Laucharoen is a reporter based in Boston. She currently serves as the assistant director of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. In the past she has written for Sampan newspaper, The Somerville Times, Scout Magazine, Boston Magazine, and WBUR.

Related posts
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    AG MAURA HEALEY SPEAKS OUT ON ABORTION BANS
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    ABILITIES DANCE PRESENTS WORLD PREMIERE OF "INTERSECTIONS"
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    ROYALL HOUSE AND SLAVE QUARTERS HOSTS "ABOLITIONISTS IN ACTION"
  • SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
    https://digboston.com/author/shira-laucharoen/
    "STAND WITH UKRAINE THROUGH FILM" AT COOLIDGE CORNER

Filed Under: News, News to Us, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: accident, MBTA, safety, train, transportation

WHAT’S NEW

We Turned the North End Restaurant Lawsuit Against Mayor Wu Into a Musical

We Turned the North End Restaurant Lawsuit Against Mayor Wu Into a Musical

Photo by Mike Connolly

Opinion: Defending the Right to Abortion

Longtime Anti-Nuclear Activist On Trial This Morning In Plymouth

Longtime Anti-Nuclear Activist On Trial This Morning In Plymouth

The ACLU's Critical "Do You Know Who Your Sheriff Is?" Campaign

The ACLU’s Critical “Do You Know Who Your Sheriff Is?” Campaign

Sacred Spaces: Special Mosque Edition

Sacred Spaces: Special Mosque Edition

“Stop Abortion Bans Now” by Fibonacci Blue. CC-BY 2.0. Original photo cropped for the Somerville Wire by Jason Pramas.

OPINION: R.I.P. ROE?

Primary Sidebar

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • We Turned the North End Restaurant Lawsuit Against Mayor Wu Into a Musical
  • Do You Want To Work For the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission?
  • DigBoston box among the boxes of defunct newspapers in Union Square, Somerville, Mass. Photo by Jason Pramas. Copyright 2022 Jason Pramas. EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SUSPENDING PRINT EDITION, GOING DIGITAL-ONLY (AGAIN)
  • Inbox: Red Bull Cliff Diving Returns To Boston Waterfront
  • How Long Can Major Cannabis Cultivators Sustain Massive Indoor Grows In Mass?

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 24.08 – 04/21/22

Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]