BART resumed red line service Tuesday between Richmond and Millbrae with smaller but more frequent trains, 16 days after service was first interrupted by a broken power cable between the El Cerrito Plaza and Ashby stations.
Officials announced late Monday night that five-car trains -- half the normal length of BART trains -- will begin running Tuesday on both the red line and the orange line (between Richmond and Berryessa stations) more frequently than the normal schedule. Although the broken cable has not yet been repaired, the transit agency is rerouting power in the interim from redundant substations in the system.
"Restoring the Red line will help alleviate crowding by offering more frequency and by eliminating the need to transfer to the yellow line for transbay service, despite running shorter trains," officials said in the news release, adding that crews had successfully tested running shorter trains over the weekend.
The shorter trains on the red and orange lines will stop in the middle of the station platforms, so riders are advised to not wait at the ends of platforms for trains.
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Officials provided no estimate when the repairs would be completed and 10-car trains would resume service.
The power issues have led to BART operating on only the orange line between Oakland and Richmond and running shuttle trains between the SFO and Millbrae stations.
BART officials said in early March that they have known for some time that the power cable could be a liability, and had already planned for a contractor to begin the process of replacing it the day after it had broke.
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Visit BART.gov for real-time service updates.
