In a significant stride toward greener transit, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a pioneering initiative for Metro-North Railroad, featuring the deployment of North America's first battery- and electric-powered locomotives capable of servicing the New Haven Line to Penn Station, along with new stations in the Bronx. As reported by the governor's website, this expansion is part of an effort to provide New Yorkers with cleaner, more efficient transport options, stating, "I am committed to advancing environmentally-friendly and clean modes of transportation — that's how we fight the climate crisis while delivering faster and more efficient service to riders."
The innovative locomotives are designed to utilize overhead wires, or catenary systems, for power and can transition seamlessly to battery mode on tracks around Penn Station, which present distinctive electrical demands, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber emphasized the environmental implications, saying, "Transit is the antidote to climate change, and these locomotives — the first ever in North America — demonstrate, again, the MTA’s commitment to using innovation to green the region," as reported on the governor's official page.
Enhancing connectivity and job access, Metro-North Railroad's President Catherine Rinaldi envisions transformative benefits for the commuters, “In a few years, Metro-North’s Penn Access service will revolutionize how New Haven Line customers travel around the region, creating a link between communities in the Bronx and employment opportunities in West Midtown and along the New Haven Line in Westchester County and Connecticut. What better way to inaugurate this new service than with cutting edge battery-electric locomotives that will set a new standard for environmental friendliness and overall reliability?” she told the governor's website. This sentiment was echoed by Marc Buncher, President and CEO of Siemens Mobility North America, who expressed excitement for the U.S.-made locomotives contributing to a reimagined rail travel with improved dependability and sustainability for several million users annually.
The locomotives, shaped by the technology commonly seen in Europe, will extend reliable, exceptionally eco-friendly service throughout the existing electrified infrastructure, MTA's Chief of Rolling Stock Tim Mulligan described their attributes as transitioning the European-standard to revolutionize North American railroad. Pending approval by the MTA Board, the procurement entails 13 innovative locomotives from Siemens Mobility North America they are riding the same contract waves as their diesel or third rail-compatible predecessors, known as model SC42-DM and uncovered in November 2024.
