A Major Upgrade: NJ TRANSIT Purchases 200 New Rail Cars to Modernize Fleet
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, get ready for a more reliable and comfortable commute. NJ TRANSIT has announced a significant investment in its rail fleet, with the purchase of 200 additional multilevel rail cars. This major procurement is a key step in the agency’s goal to fully modernize its fleet and improve the rider experience across New Jersey.
This latest purchase brings the total number of new rail cars ordered since 2018 to 374. The new cars will replace older, single-level vehicles, which are less reliable and offer less seating capacity.
What the New Rail Cars Mean for Commuters
The new Multilevel III rail cars are designed to improve service in several key ways:
- Increased Reliability: The new cars are expected to be dramatically more mechanically reliable than the aging Comet II, IV, and V single-level cars they are replacing.
- More Seating: The multilevel design provides additional seating capacity, which is crucial for the nation’s largest statewide public transportation system.
- Modern Amenities: Passengers can look forward to enhanced onboard amenities, including USB charging ports, making their commute more productive and comfortable.
- Enhanced Safety and Speed: The new cars will have a higher top speed of up to 110 m.p.h. and come with modern safety features.
The new cars will be built by Alstom Transportation Inc. as part of a contract option that costs approximately $1.055 billion. The contract still includes an option for 50 more cars that may be purchased at a later date.
Beyond Rail Cars: A Commitment to Modernization
In a separate move, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors also approved the purchase of 12 new ALP-45A dual-powered locomotives, also from Alstom. These locomotives can operate on both electrified and non-electrified rail lines, providing greater flexibility and service reliability.
These new locomotives will replace older, less efficient diesel models, which will help reduce emissions and contribute to NJ TRANSIT’s goal of a smaller carbon footprint. The agency’s strategic plan aims to achieve a fully modernized fleet by 2031, a first in its history.
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The Village needs to clean a tunnel. It stinks of piss ridiculous.
That massive gasoline tax is being pissed away on this instead of fixing roads and bridges
Such a dirty transportation agency.
And please nj transit get rid of those horn blasts at Ho–Ho–Kus station …every day I hear that horn it feels like we’re going to war. It’s fking 2025 do we not have modern technology. And the deisel exaust black smoke we breathe in as the train emits their nasty pollution
Federal regulations mandate a specific two long, one short, one long blast pattern, timed to begin at least 15 seconds before reaching the crossing.