NY commuter rail lines will get new train cars

REGIONWIDE — COMMUTERS USING THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD and Metro North will — in a few years —get to ride in new train cars complete with USB charging ports and ADA-accessible bathrooms, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday, June 23.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Finance Committee approved the purchase of M-9A Passenger Railcars. The order includes 316 M-9A cars, of which 160 cars will be allocated to the LIRR fleet and 156 to the Metro-North. The new M-9A cars feature glass windows, USB charging ports and accessibility improvements, including automatic doors for bathrooms.

The M-9A cars are needed to replace Metro-North’s M-3 cars , which are beyond their service life. The order also enables the LIRR to retire its own M-3 cars, whose service has been extended to support service with the opening of Grand Central Madison.

As part of the MTA’s Capital Plan, pilot cars will be delivered by Alstom Transportation in 2029 and will first enter LIRR passenger service in 2030. All cars will be delivered by 2032. These railcars will operate in LIRR electric territories and on the Metro-North Hudson and Harlem lines.

This order approval builds on the MTA’s ongoing efforts to modernize its entire fleet of rolling stock.

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