MBTA limits service on Orange Line after three trains were vandalized

Commuters faced longer delays on the Orange Line Wednesday, after three trains were vandalized the night before.

MBTA spokesperson Lisa Battiston said windows were “maliciously damaged” on “three train sets,” which impacted subway service throughout the day.

“We will be operating with longer headways this afternoon due to a limited number of trains,” the MBTA said in a statement. “Multiple trains were vandalized (Tuesday) night and repairs are in progress. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to put trains back in service as quickly as possible.”

Battiston later said that repair work and window replacements had progressed at a good pace, and the MBTA expected to have a sufficient number of Orange Line trains, which would be 10, by the evening commute to meet the new reduced subway schedules implemented last week.

The additional delays further inconvenienced commuters, who are already dealing with significant cuts on the Orange Line, and two other rapid transit lines — Red and Blue — as the MBTA works to comply with a federal directive that ordered the agency to beef up its subway dispatcher staffing in the operations control center.

Weekday schedules now mirror those of a Saturday schedule, which has increased the average wait time on trains from approximately two to four minutes.

Twitter user “Kirky” said she was waiting for half an hour Wednesday morning at the Sullivan Square station, “hoping for a train that isn’t too full.”

“Orange Line trains are only running every 13 minutes, resulting in hot, overcrowded trains of mostly maskless riders,” the commuter said. “By the time another train comes, the station platform is packed again.”

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said last week that the agency has embarked on a “hiring blitz” to address its subway dispatcher shortage.

As part of its safety management inspection, the Federal Transit Administration found that subway dispatchers were regularly working 16-20 hour shifts, to make up for staffing shortages.

The T said the service cuts will last throughout the summer.

In addition to the Orange Line vandalism, Transit Police are also investigating a swastika that was found spray painted at the Green Street station last Friday. The department said the anti-Semitic graffiti was painted by an unknown man, who was caught on surveillance footage.