First of new Green Line cars now in service

BOSTON — The first of the MBTA's new subway cars have been put into service on the Green Line.

The T spent $118 million to order 24 new cars, which include features like sliding doors, increased speakers and destination monitors. The new cars can also carry more people than current cars.

Between January and the fall of 2019, the 23 remaining new cars will go into service. This is the first time in ten years that the MBTA is introducing a new rail car to the T.

>> Now arriving: New Green Line cars for extension project

The new Green Line cars are part of the MBTA's Green Line Extension (GLX) light rail project. The $2.3 billion project will add about five miles of Green Line track and seven new stations through Cambridge, Somerville and Medford, the largest MBTA expansion in years.

But the MBTA will also be rolling out new cars on the Orange Line; state leaders toured the new Orange Line trains back in May, but those have not yet been put in service.

Assembly for a new fleet of Red Line cars is slated to begin summer 2019.

>> Future of Boston's public transit: MBTA unveils draft 25-year investment plan

Cox Media Group