MTA officials provide light rail repair update following discovery of dangerous mechanical issues
BALTIMORE -- The MTA light rail has been out of service due to mechanical issues for eight days.
MTA has been providing free shuttle services to accommodate the roughly 10,000 people who use the light rail daily.
At a press conference on Friday, MTA Administrator Holly Arnold provided an update to the press on the repair process.
Inspectors examined 41 railcars for conduit damage and completed 17 repairs by Friday afternoon. Transportation officials have completed two intercar connector repairs, according to MTA Administrator Holly Arnold.
The MTA announced earlier this month that all light rail services had been suspended indefinitely following the discovery of high-voltage conduits that had been punctured.
MTA officials said that is what caused the fire in October that injured a rider.
Transportation officials found damage to the connection cables, which caused six smoke events.
There is no timeline for when repairs will be completed.
The process is causing problems for some people who rely on public transportation to get to and from work.
Jack Carrow said he uses the light rail trains to get to and from work.
"Now that it's gone, it's kind of an inconvenience," Carrow said. "It's costing me more to get to and from work."
Ervin Walden said the absence of light rail trains is causing him to be late for appointments.
"An hour trip is turning into like a three-hour trip," he said.
The MTA has launched a web page where people who use public transportation can track the progress officials are making and check on shuttle services.
"I do sympathize," Arnold said." I am a transit rider. This has impacted my commute as well. We are acting in the interest of the riders' safety and we wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for that. We understand the impacts and we're going to restore service as quickly as we can."
