‘We’re like miners’: Commuters left stranded in dark MBTA stations after power problem halts trains

Commuters were left stranded in dark MBTA stations on Thursday morning after a power problem at North Station halted train service on three major subway lines, officials said.

The power problem impacted service on the Green Line, Blue Line, and Orange Line for three hours, and trains were held at stations as crews scrambled to make repairs, according to the MBTA.

“Personnel are working to move trains into stations and resolve the issue,” the MBTA wrote in a post on X around 6:30 a.m. “Green Line, Blue Line, and Orange Line trains may hold at stations as we continue resolving a problem impacting signal and station power.”

The power on all lines was restored just before 9:30 a.m.

In an official statement, the MBTA called the power outage “unexpected.”

“The outage at North Station was unexpected, and it is one of the MBTA’s primary power feeds. As a safety precaution, protective systems opened related circuit breakers, temporarily discontinuing power flow,” a T spokesperson said.

During an afternoon news conference, MBTA CEO Phillip Eng clarified the cause of the power outage, saying that a seven-mile-long feeder cable had failed. That failure led to outages across several lines.

Eng also apologized for the failure and said riders will be able to travel free of charge on the Green Line, Blue Line, and Orange Line from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. due to the morning’s inconvenience.

A video shared with Boston 25 showed dozens of Orange Line passengers waiting on a platform at the height of the morning commute as trains stood still on the tracks.

Photos also showed riders sitting in the dark as they waited for train service to be restored at the Haymarket and Forest Hills stations.

In a post on X, one commuter at Haymarket wrote, “We’re like miners.”

Just before 8:30 a.m., the MBTA said that trains were bypassing Haymarket in both directions “due to insufficient lighting at the station.”

“Trains are currently bypassing Haymarket in both directions due to insufficient lighting at the station. Passengers can connect at North Station and Government Center. Orange Line trains will continue to service the station,” the T announced.

In a 9 a.m. update on X, the T informed riders, “MBTA personnel continue to work on restoring power. While this work is being done, countdown clocks in stations may not give real-time predictions.”

Boston 25′s Ryan Breslin shared a video of the lights coming back on at Haymarket just before 9:30 a.m.

The MBTA told Orange Line passengers to board commuter rail trains for free at Oak Grove, Malden Center, North Station, Back Bay, Ruggles, and Forest Hills while service is disrupted.

Blue Line passengers were told to use the SL3 Bus for alternate service from the Airport to the South Station.

Power to all of the lines was restored shortly before 9:30 a.m., but the T warned of residual delays.

There were no additional details immediately available.

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