NJ TRANSIT CONTINUES MODERNIZING RAIL FLEET WITH THE PURCHASE OF 36 ADDITIONAL MULTILEVEL CARS
Jul 24, 2024
NEWARK, NJ – Today, NJ TRANSIT’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of 36 additional Multilevel III rail cars. This acquisition aims to enhance seating capacity, mechanical reliability, and customer amenities while advancing NJ TRANSIT’s plan to phase out the oldest single-level rail cars in its fleet.
“This significant investment brings the total of new multilevel rail cars we’ve purchased since 2018 to 174,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “These new cars will substantially reduce the overall age of the rail fleet, improving reliability, capacity and customer comfort.”
The Multilevel III cars offer various improvements over older single-level models. They will have a maximum speed of 110 miles per hour and comply with the latest federal regulations, including Positive Train Control. Additional customer amenities include USB charging ports and onboard information displays.
The Multilevel III Power Cars are Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), which are self-propelled and do not require a separate locomotive. Electric motors are integrated within one or more vehicles on the train.
The contract for these new vehicles utilizes options from an existing agreement with Alstom Transportation at a cost not exceeding $170 million plus five percent for contingencies, subject to fund availability. NJ TRANSIT has already ordered 138 new Multilevel III vehicles currently in production. The first of these is expected to arrive in New Jersey for testing later this year.
In December 2018, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors approved a procurement award to Bombardier Transit Corporation (now Alstom Transportation Inc.) for 113 Multilevel III rail vehicles to replace Arrow III rail vehicles manufactured over four decades ago. In February 2022, the Board approved purchasing an additional 25 Multilevel III vehicles.
About NJ TRANSIT:
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light rail lines, twelve commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third-largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, sixty-two light rail stations and more than nineteen thousand bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
