Request for proposals seeks battery-electric train manufacturer

January 23, 2025 (BOSTON) – Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the operating and maintenance partner for the MBTA’s Commuter Rail system, has officially begun the search for a manufacturer to build new battery-electric multiple unit (BEMU) trains for the Fairmount Line. The company issued a request for proposals this week. The trains are scheduled to enter service in 2028.

“The Healey Driscoll administration is committed to improving the transportation system in Massachusetts as demonstrated by the administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which invests $8 billion into transportation over the next ten years,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The step to bring battery electric multiple unit trains to our passenger rail routes is hugely important to modernizing the system, helping us reach greenhouse gas reduction goals, and lowering health risks for residents who live near rail corridors.”

“This is a major step as we continue to move toward building a Regional Rail system that will truly transform the passenger experience,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “This project and the BEMU procurement allow us to provide better headways with train frequencies every 20-30 minutes while also furthering our goal of decarbonizing the system. Frequent all-day service every day of the week is how we get people out of their cars and back on transit. We are committed to delivering this long-awaited initiative to electrify the Fairmount Line.”

“Keolis is committed to delivering this first step towards an electrified commuter rail network,” said Abdellah Chajai, General Manager and CEO of Keolis Commuter Services. “This project is an example of how new technology can help deliver safe, reliable service while improving transit for the environmental justice communities along the Fairmount Line. Keolis is grateful for our partnership with the MBTA in making this plan a reality.”

“The residents of the Fairmount Line Corridor deserve frequent, reliable, and climate-friendly transit options,” said Marilyn Forman, co-chair of the Fairmount Indigo Transit Coalition. “The battery-electric project from the MBTA and Keolis will help make this a reality. We look forward to the next steps of this process.”

The Keolis innovation proposal detailing a plan to electrify the Fairmount Line was approved by the MBTA Board of Directors in July 2024. Since the plan was approved, the MBTA and Keolis have been working to finalize contract details, technical specifications, and other plans for the new battery-electric service.

The new trains will provide faster, quieter, more reliable service with notably less air pollution in the environmental justice corridor served by the Fairmount Line. BEMU trains use hybrid power, with an onboard battery that charges when overhead catenary wires are available, such as at South Station. The trains can then run on battery power. Because they are electric, these trains will emit less air pollution and reduce energy consumption. It is anticipated that trains will run every 20 minutes on weekdays when they enter service in 2028.

Keolis Commuter Services has operated and maintained the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Commuter Rail system, the sixth largest commuter rail operation in North America, for more than ten years. KCS is a subsidiary of Keolis North America (KNA), both headquartered in Boston, and employs approximately 2,400 people throughout the region. KCS and KNA are part of Keolis Group, an innovative global leader in transit services with more than a century of passenger transportation experience and operations in 13 countries.

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