Massachusetts announces pilot to electrify Fairmount Line, aims for 2028 service

Governor Maura Healey, joined by Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Mayor Michelle Wu and MBTA and community leaders, announced a pilot to electrify the Fairmount Line and introduce battery-electric multiple unit (BEMU) trains as the commonwealth’s first 100% electric commuter rail corridor.

The announcement, delivered at a Mattapan event with state and local officials and transit advocates, emphasized environmental-justice and public‑health benefits for neighborhoods along the Fairmount Line. "We're here today because we have a goal and a vision, and that is to operate a 100% electric commuter rail system," Governor Healey said at the podium.

Why it matters: officials said electrification should cut local air pollution and noise in communities that long bore diesel emissions, improve reliability and frequency on the corridor, and support access to jobs, schools and health care. An MBTA official at the event described projected system benefits and a tentative timeline: the authority is "looking at" first BEMU deliveries in early 2028 and a shift from current 30‑minute service toward 20‑minute frequencies once vehicles and supporting infrastructure are in place.

Details and attributions: an MBTA official stated that transitioning to BEMUs could cut fuel consumption by about 1,600,000 gallons and reduce roughly 18,000 tons of CO2 annually compared with the diesel operations they replace; the official presented those figures as MBTA projections. Secretary Tibbits‑Nutt and Mayor Wu framed the project as part of broader state investments — Healey cited recent budgets and federal grid‑upgrade funding, and Tibbits‑Nutt noted the administration's push to couple transit modernization with housing and equity goals.

Keolis, the MBTA’s contractor for operations and asset management, said it will manage procurement, select rolling stock, and oversee infrastructure upgrades; John Killeen, Keolis’ vice president of asset management, said Keolis hopes to have electric trains operating on the Fairmount Line as early as 2028. Keolis representatives said the company will handle financing procurement and the equipment/maintenance upgrades needed for the pilot.

Community advocates and elected officials framed the move as a long‑sought victory. State Senator Liz Miranda said electrification centers communities that historically faced higher pollution and poor service: "electrification would lead to better public health outcomes while spurring economic mobility," she said. Representative Brandy Fluker Oakley, Marilyn Foreman and other advocates recounted multi‑decade campaigns for better service and station access along the corridor.

Fare and service policy: the MBTA representative noted the board approved an income‑eligible reduced fare program (half‑price fares) and that applications for that program could begin as soon as the following week. Officials said fare policy for the corridor will be part of broader systemwide discussions, not decided solely by the pilot.

Next steps and outlook: officials outlined a multi‑year implementation path that includes procurement of BEMUs, grid and facility upgrades, and coordinated work with contractors and the legislature. Keolis and MBTA staff described operational and infrastructure tasks ahead; no formal vote or new statute was taken at the event. Officials repeatedly returned to a 2028 in‑service target for the first electric trains while noting the schedule is subject to procurement, testing and delivery timelines.

The event closed with thanks to advocates and officials; the announcement sets up a sequence of procurement, engineering and funding steps to follow.