Photos: A first look at the new Red Line trains that will debut next spring

The MBTA unveiled its new and modernized Red Line trains to the media Thursday afternoon at the agency’s maintenance facility in South Boston.Barry Chin/Globe Staff

The MBTA unveiled its new and modernized Red Line trains to the media Thursday afternoon at the agency’s maintenance facility in South Boston. They’ll begin rolling next spring.

There were no carpeted seats or grimy floors in sight aboard the two shiny red and silver trains on display at the MBTA’s Cabot Yard. The pilot cars featured red plastic-covered seats, bright yellow poles, wheelchair-accessible sections, and security cameras peppered across the ceiling.

Here’s a first look at the interior of the new MBTA Red Line cars.Barry Chin/Globe Staff

“We’ve been. . . fixing the system, but modernizing it at the same time so that it’s not only in good shape, it carries more people and it carries the ability to contribute to each of our daily commutes, but also the economic prosperity of the Greater Boston region,” said Stephanie Pollack, state transportation secretary.

The six-car trains also feature wider doors, electronic signs, and automatic passenger counters, the MBTA said. The new trains can accommodate about 20 more passengers than the old trains. The trains will have updated accelerating and braking systems and will pull into some stations about every three minutes during rush hour.

The new trains begin rolling next spring.Barry Chin/GLOBE STAFF FILE

The MBTA plans to add 252 new Red Line trains to replace the 218 outdated trains currently on the tracks. The agency said in a statement that the new trains would accommodate 65,000 more people and last at least 30 years.

The agency will roll out a new train every time the cars pass inspections, Pollack said.

The new trains debuted after a summer of delays on the Red Line because of a train that derailed near the JFK/UMass Station in June.

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak and MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack unveiled the trains on Thursday.Barry Chin/Globe Staff

The MBTA embarked last year on a five-year, $8 billion program to update commuter services. New Red and Orange Line trains will cost the agency about $1 billion, the MBTA said.