The Long Island Rail Road will receive a modern boost with the addition of nearly 200 M-9A railcars to the fleet in the next five years.
“New Yorkers deserve a fast, reliable and comfortable transit system. We are delivering that today through the purchase of modern railcars for the LIRR and Metro-North fleets,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “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 state purchased 316 railcars, which will be divided between the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North. The Long Island Rail Road will receive 160, while Metro-North will receive 156.
The purchase of the 316 railcars is part of the MTA’s $10.9 billion capital plan, which seeks to purchase upwards of 2,000 new vehicles. The MTA Finance Committee approved the purchase on June 23.
With the modern train cars will come modern amenities, such as USB charging ports, automatic bathroom doors and other accessibility improvements.
The new railcars will replace the aging M-3 cars, which are being used beyond their lifespan to support ridership.
The railcars will be phased in starting in 2030 through 2032. The pilot cars will first be delivered in 2029.
Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free attributed “record on-time performance” and greater service to the opening of Grand Central Madison in 2023, which boosted Long Island Rail Road ridership.
“Our customers deserve modern railcars which will result in even more reliable service and improve the customer experience for years to come,” Free said.
Ridership on the Long Island Rail Road has increased since Jan. 5, when congestion pricing was put into effect.
The new railcars will also be built in New York, which the governor touted as providing hundreds of jobs.
