Commuters fed up with delays in rail service

Following a January that ranked as the commuter rail’s worst month’s performance in three years, with 27 percent of trains delayed and more than 100 runs canceled, the system’s continued woes have cast a harsh spotlight on the chronically underfunded transit system, and have created among many riders a crisis of confidence.

Under growing public pressure, railroad officials said yesterday that February’s strug gles were largely concentrated in the first few days of the month, when snow and icy rain caused widespread disruptions to the system.

On Feb. 1-2, for example, nearly three-quarters of the trains were at least five minutes late, with many lengthy delays that left riders shivering on snow-swept platforms, unsure if or when their train might come.

As the weather improved, service became more reliable, with just 10 percent of trains between Feb. 12-28 arriving late, according to records obtained yesterday from the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, a private consortium that is hired by the MBTA to operate the commuter rail.

But two nightmarish delays this week, both caused by mechanical problems, have again brought tempers to a boil.

“Delays are almost expected now,’’ said Rafael Mares of the Conservation Law Foundation, a staff lawyer who specializes in transportation issues. “People need to be able to rely on it, but they can’t. They need to be on time. It’s just too important to let it fail.’’

The commuter rail service carries roughly 70,000 people to and from Boston each day. Ridership has been dropping slightly in recent years, and in January — the most recent month for which statistics are available — it was 9 percent lower than it had been in January 2009.

The most recent disruption occurred Thursday evening, when several hundred passengers on board two Fitchburg-bound trains were delayed for about two hours when an electronic circuit board failed. That followed another lengthy delay Monday, when a train from Boston took more than four hours to reach Worcester.

Sara Grant, a Web designer from Townsend who rides the commuter rail to Cambridge, was on the delayed Fitchburg train Thursday, and said it capped a dismal few weeks of consistent aggravation.

“February was definitely a bad month,’’ said Grant, 37. “I’ve been delayed more than 30 minutes at least once or twice a week. You can’t rely on it anymore.’’

Richard A. Davey, the general manager of the MBTA, acknowledged there have been far more delays this winter than in the past, and said he understands that riders are frustrated.

He described the delay on the Worcester line as “self-inflicted’’ because the train had broken down earlier that day, but said most delays have been caused by an unusually harsh winter and an aging fleet of locomotives.

“In the train to Fitchburg, some of the wiring was 40 years old,’’ he said. “Lack of investment is the root of the problem.’’

To address the breakdowns, the transit authority recently purchased two new locomotives from Utah for $6 million, the first new additions to the fleet in more than two decades, Davey said. The T is also leasing five 15-year-old locomotives that Maryland is replacing, which will rank among the youngest in the Massachusetts fleet.

“Half of delays are caused by issues with the locomotives,’’ Davey said. “It’s by far the leading cause, and we think the new additions will make a major difference.’’

By 2013, the MBTA plans to add 20 new locomotives and 75 new coaches, he said.

Timothy P. Murray, the state’s lieutenant governor, said he was disappointed by the rail’s performance over the past week, and that riders deserve reliable service. Improving the situation is a priority, he said in an interview.

“We’ve recognized we need to make the investments,’’ he said. “Unfortunately, you can’t fix it overnight.’’

A spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad said the two “terrible incidents’’ this week were anomalies. About 90 percent of trains have been on time since Feb. 12, he said.

“These incidents take away attention that for close to a month, service has been much more consistent,’’ said Scott Farmelant, the spokesman. “That’s a clear sign we’ve turned a corner and are getting back on track.’’

The company, whose contract with the MBTA runs to 2013, is making upgrades to its maintenance systems, adding a new repair facility, and purchasing new equipment with an eye to targeting the most frequent source of mechanical failures. It has also brought in two leading experts in locomotive repair management.

But some say the rail system is hamstrung by the age of the fleet and infrastructure.

“You can tweak the management of the system, but if the engines aren’t reliable, there’s not really a lot you can do,’’ said Paul Regan, executive director of the advisory board for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. “They have nowhere near the capital money they need to upgrade the system.’’

Regan said new equipment is long overdue, and said he worries passengers will abandon the trains in frustration if poor service persists. That also worries many urban planners, who say a well-functioning transit system is crucial.

“Even small increases [in drivers] can cause major increases in congestion,’’ said Eric Bourassa, transportation manager for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. “Once you add a few hundred cars, it can be the tipping point that causes gridlock.’’

Greg Belkin, a 35-year-old IT analyst from Fitchburg who missed his daughter’s bedtime over Thursday’s delay, said the unreliable service has riders’ patience wearing thin.

“It’s more expensive driving,’’ he said. “But if this keeps happening, it will be worth it.’’

Eric Moskowitz and John Ellement of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Peter Schworm can be reached at schworm@globe.com.