Photo: Emma Friedman/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The MBTA is throwing it back to the 1970s by putting a refurbished retro locomotive back on the tracks.
The MBTA Commuter Rail train sports a classic yellow stripe on the front with a purple wraparound, a paint job that was discontinued more than 20 years ago.
MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo explained that the idea for the paint job came after refurbishing the vehicle itself.
“We replaced all the components, and we want to keep it running for a few more years, make sure the service is reliable,” Pesaturo said. “Then after the overall work was done, we decided that we would revisit what we call the retro paint scheme.”
This retro paint scheme has also been referred to as the ‘Easter egg’ design.
“They called it the Easter Egg design because it somewhat resembles the colors of Easter and an Easter egg,” Pesaturo said.
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Regardless of what people call it, Pesaturo is glad the classic design makes people so happy.
“There are people who really love trains very enthusiastic about trains, so we want them to embrace it,” he said. “If this is what makes them happy, it makes us happy. If customers are happy then why not do it, it's just paint and its good memories for a lot of people.”
The refurbished locomotive left North Station Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. and went to the train yard to be hooked up to coaches and prep for extra service to be done.
According to the MBTA, “This tribute is part of a series honoring the legacy railroads that shaped the MBTA’s current operations, including the “Boston and Maine” heritage locomotive put into passenger service in September as well as the upcoming locomotives highlighting the New Haven Railroad, which formed the bulk of the Southside lines, and the New York Central (Boston and Albany) Railroad, which historically operated what is now the Worcester Commuter Rail Line.”
WBZ NewsRadio’s Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.