Neponset River floods Milton trolley station, passengers rescued by raft

Local News

Mattapan Line trolley services were suspended at about 7:40 a.m. Tuesday after flooding submerged the tracks and caused power issues.

Mattapan Line trolley passengers were rescued by the Milton Fire Department after flooding from the Neponset River submerged the tracks at Milton Station, officials said.

The tracks flooded at approximately 7:40 a.m. Tuesday, causing trolley services to be suspended and shuttle buses to be deployed for service between Ashmont and Mattapan, according to a spokesperson from the MBTA. The shuttle buses replaced trolley service until about 1:35 p.m., and delays continued until approximately 3 p.m.

Mattapan Trolley Update: Regular service between Mattapan and Ashmont has resumed with delays of about 15 minutes after earlier flooding at Milton Station. A Shuttle bus will supplement and accommodate passengers as needed. https://t.co/OQuTv4SQC6

— MBTA (@MBTA) February 18, 2025

The flooding caused a power issue, leaving one trolley’s operator and six passengers stranded, an MBTA spokesperson said.

By the time Milton fire officials arrived on the scene, the water surrounding the trolley was two to three feet high, according to Milton Deputy Fire Chief Stephen King. With the aid of rescue rafts and MBTA personnel, the trolley’s occupants were rescued two at a time, King said.

King told The Boston Globe that the flooding was caused by an overflow of upstream water.

The power was safely cut, and no injuries were reported, according to the MBTA.

The MBTA released security footage of the incident and rescue operation. Watch an excerpt of the footage below.