The CRRC Red and Orange Line car assembly plant in Springfield. (Photo courtesy of CRRC)

AFTER A NEARLY seven-month hiatus, new Orange Line trains are once again being shipped from the assembly plant in Springfield to Wellington Station in Medford.

But one new train took longer than expected to arrive at its destination after the flatbed on which it was riding disconnected from the truck pulling it on I-495 in Chelmsford.

The incident happened on Tuesday evening, blocking the breakdown and right lanes on the highway, and the train wasn’t back en route until Wednesday evening.

MBTA officials said the new Orange Line train did not appear to be damaged.

The incident received heavy TV coverage and became an instant sensation on Twitter, with the MBTA becoming the butt of jokes for snarling traffic instead of alleviating it.

Bruce Mohl oversees the production of content and edits reports, along with carrying out his own reporting with a particular focus on transportation, energy, and climate issues. He previously worked...