New Yorkers can look forward to faster, more comfortable commuter rail travel in the coming years. Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will be bolstering its fleet with the addition of 316 modern M-9A Passenger Railcars, as approved by the MTA Finance Committee. These state-of-the-art cars, split between the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad, represent a significant investment in the region's public transportation infrastructure, as reported by the Governor's Office.
In her statement, Governor Hochul emphasized the importance of a reliable transit system for New Yorkers, stating, "The commuter rails are a lifeline for riders in one of the world’s largest and busiest transit systems — this is how we continue to achieve record on-time performance." The MTA's decision reflects a commitment to cost efficiency as well as improved service, with the contract totaling $2.3 billion and a reduction in the production and delivery schedules by approximately 11 months and 14.6 percent, respectively, as per the Governor's Office.
According to the announcement, the contract with Alstom's plants in New York State covers the design, manufacturing, testing, furnishing, and delivery of the railcars. MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber has highlighted this as the starting point of a larger procurement strategy. "We’re looking to buy almost 2,000 rail cars as part of the new Capital Plan — $10.9 billion worth — and this 300+ order gets us off to a strong start," Lieber said in a statement obtained by the Governor's Office.
MTA Chief of Rolling Stock Program Tim Mulligan spoke on the innovative methods being used by the MTA, the largest railcar purchaser in North America, “By building on the reliable design of previous cars, we were able to work with the contractor to get things done better, faster, and cheaper." These new railcars will assist in retiring older models that have reached their service limits and enhance the overall customer experience with features like USB charging ports and improved accessibility, as reported by the Governor's Office.
Pilot cars are set to be delivered to LIRR in 2029, with the first passenger service starting in 2030, and all the M-9A railcars anticipated to be operational by 2032. These cars will ply across LIRR electric territories and on Metro-North's Hudson and Harlem lines. Moreover, Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free pointed out the importance of the modern fleet against the backdrop of a booming ridership, while Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek highlighted the reliability and customer experience improvements expected with the new railcars.
