Photo by James Sanna | Banker & Tradesman Staff / File

The upcoming shutdown of the entire MBTA Orange Line will also prompt work to phase out some of the oldest subway cars in service, officials announced Wednesday.

While they outlined plans for a 30-day closure of the full line set to begin the night of Aug. 19, Gov. Charlie Baker and his top transportation deputies said the “unprecedented” maintenance project will also involve a shift in the fleet of vehicles providing Orange Line service.

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said when the Orange Line resumes running on Sept. 19, it will “primarily” use the newest trains manufactured by Chinese firm CRRC.

Those new trains — which will eventually replace the entire fleet — have been in circulation for a few years but so far represent only a portion of the vehicles used.

Poftak said the shutdown, which will disrupt commuting for tens of thousands of riders and alter the transportation landscape for the greater Boston region for a month, will lead to a “significantly better” system featuring fewer speed restrictions, more reliable service and cleaner stations.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Orange Line Shutdown Will Lead to Refreshed Fleet

by State House News Service time to read: 1 min
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