HAVERHILL — For those who ride the train into Boston, the commute will be a bit different over the next six weeks.
Part of the trip will include a bus ride between Haverhill and Lawrence for some trains.
Due to scheduled replacement of rails and ties on the inbound track of the Merrimack River railroad bridge, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail Co. will provide bus service between the Haverhill and Lawrence stations on midday and peak evening rush-hour trains, starting Tuesday and continuing through late November. The buses will be provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, according to Erin Blake, spokeswoman for the commuter rail company.
Early-morning trains will not be affected.
The busing will affect 12 midday trains between Lawrence and Haverhill stations, and three outbound peak-hour trains between Bradford and Haverhill depots, which are about one half-mile apart.
The buses are being used to allow construction crews to finish their work in a timely manner, to eliminate train delays on the remainder of the line, and to perform station improvement work, including new signs, landscaping, painting and platform seal coating, according to the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail Co., which runs commuter trains for the MBTA.
In the spring of 2009, MBCR will replace rails and ties on the outbound track of the Merrimack River bridge. Detailed schedule information can be obtained at mbta.com or by calling MBTA customer service at 617-222-3200. The work will be done by MBCR crews, not a private contractor, Blake said.
MBCR is a partnership of Veolia Transportation, one of Europe's largest passenger transportation companies; Bombardier Transportation, one of the largest North American manufacturers of passenger rail vehicles; and Alternate Concepts Inc., a leading transportation consulting firm based in Boston.
MBCR operates and maintains the fifth-largest commuter rail network in the United States under a contract with the MBTA. MBCR provides service to 40 million passengers a year in nearly 80 cities and towns in Massachusetts, as well as Providence, R.I.
