The Massachusetts Department of Transportation board has approved a $200 million transfer for 20 new MBTA commuter rail locomotives, one of three equal shares in a $600 million package.

MBTA commuter rail locomotive 1051 arrives at Attleboro station beneath catenary wires
An MBTA Providence/Stoughton Line train arrives at Attleboro station beneath catenary. Photo: 4300streetcar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0.

MassDOT board members voted on September 23, 2026. The decision lets the transportation secretary, or a designee, sign an agreement with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and pass the money on for rail improvements. The Chapter 90 Bill Transfers presentation to the board lists vehicle upgrades, new vehicle purchases and the planning, design and purchase of commuter rail locomotives as eligible uses.

What the locomotive money covers

MassDOT’s presentation to the board ties the $200 million to Regional Rail rolling stock. Some of the oldest locomotives in the fleet are to give way to 10 diesel-electric and 10 battery/catenary units, and the plan carries an option on as many as 50 more. The diesel-electric locomotives must meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 emissions standards.

The money sits in the MBTA’s Rail Reliability Program, and MassDOT says the 20 new locomotives will be cleaner and quieter.

Where the $600 million comes from

All three transfers draw on the Chapter 90 bill that Governor Maura Healey signed in June 2026. Fair Share revenue funds the bill. It reserves $200 million each for MBTA rail improvements, for roads and parkways run by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and for transportation projects that support new housing.

Chapter 90 bill signed in June 2026: funding lines and the September 23, 2026 transfers
Bill line Amount Transfer approved by the MassDOT board on September 23
Chapter 90 aid to cities and towns $300 million, of which $100 million goes out by lane miles Not part of the vote
MassDOT Lifecycle Asset Management Program $500 million Not part of the vote
MBTA rail improvements $200 million Yes, to the MBTA
Parkway Resilience Improvement and Safety Modernization (PRISM) program $200 million Yes, to DCR
Transportation projects that support new housing $200 million Yes, to HLC
Reauthorizations carried over from the 2022 transportation bond bill $3.2 billion Not part of the vote

The September 23 vote covered the three $200 million lines, or $600 million in total. The other lines of the bill were not part of it. Source: MassDOT presentation to its board, September 23, 2026.

The DCR share goes to the Parkway Resilience Improvement and Safety Modernization (PRISM) program. DCR is drawing up its project list with MassDOT and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance. The planned work includes a faster resurfacing program across the state, a statewide culvert program, major trail maintenance and projects from the Parkway Master Plan.

The housing share goes to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC). HLC expects roughly $180 million to flow through four existing competitive grant programs via the Community One Stop for Growth portal. Applications for state fiscal 2027 are under review there, and awards are due this fall. HLC plans to put about $20 million toward internal roadways at state-funded public housing, where it counts 8.5 million square feet needing repair.

The February locomotive tender

The locomotive numbers match a procurement the MBTA opened on February 25, 2026, when it issued a request for proposals with the Maryland Transit Administration for battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives. The MBTA plans to run its 10 battery-electric units first on the Providence Line, which already has electric power infrastructure, and to assign the 10 diesels to lines without it.

Options in the tender let the MBTA add up to 50 more locomotives as funding and infrastructure allow. When it issued the tender, the MBTA said it planned to award the contract in summer 2026.