BOSTON — The MBTA says all the Red Line tracks affected by last week's train derailment are back open. However, that reopening did not return Monday's commute back to normal.
Officials expected delays and told riders to give themselves an extra 20 minutes in the morning if they wanted to take the Red Line to work and school.
Red Line trains moved through the JFK/UMass station after days of disruptions following a derailment Tuesday. However, despite adding three extra trains to help the flow of Red Line traffic, the MBTA still experience issues with the line.
>>>MORE: MBTA Red Line Schedule Update for June 17, 2019
The first of the extra trains began on a delayed start after apparent mechanical issues - the same reasoning that was used when the second extra train was canceled altogether.
The third extra train also was behind schedule.
>>PREVIOUS: Early morning train derailment impacts Red Line service all day
The MBTA tested the trains on Saturday, and by Sunday, trains were running on all the tracks through the station just at a reduced speed.
That means riders using the Braintree/Quincy branch no longer have to transfer to another train and can continue through.
"It’s slower than usual. I mean, it’s not quite fully back up to normal yet but at least they’re working on it which is a good thing," said Daniel Foster, of Boston.
On Red Line platforms, the countdown clocks are also back on.
>>PREVIOUS: MBTA says to expect Red Line headaches for the foreseeable future
The MBTA feared that because of ongoing signal work, they would only show inaccurate times and they're hoping the times will be more accurate by Monday.
As repairs continue, some riders are taking it in stride.
"I think they are doing their best and they responded well to the issue," said Peter Cho, of Boston.
Mayor Marty Walsh says he's cautiously optimistic, saying "we can’t have the delays we had last week."
But many who have long, daily commutes are fed up. "It seems like it’s always problems," said Foster.
"Things are never back to normal with the MBTA," said Ryan Melia, of Roxbury.
"I have an hour and a half commute back and forth every day," Melia said. "I have friends and family in Braintree that I visit consistently so it’s pretty difficult to not have a reliable source other than paying $30 to get to Roxbury to Braintree."
The T has added some extra stops and if you're coming from the South Shore, you can take the commuter rail. There are trains that stop at three Red Line stations. All you have to do is show your CharlieCard or ticket.
>>MORE: Red Line repair work likely to delay commuters for a while, MBTA says