New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has approved the procurement of 316 new M-9A commuter railcars to operate on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad.
The order was formally endorsed by the MTA Finance Committee on 23 June 2025. 160 cars will be designated for LIRR, while 156 will support Metro-North operations.
The M-9A units will be manufactured by Alstom Transportation in New York State, a move expected to generate several hundred jobs during the production phase. Initial deliveries of the pilot cars are scheduled for 2029, with passenger service entry anticipated in 2030. The full order is expected to be complete by 2032.
The M-9A vehicles will replace older M-3 models that have reached the end of their service life on both networks, including LIRR units that were temporarily extended to meet service demand following the opening of Grand Central Madison.
The M-9A design draws on the architecture of existing M-9 cars and includes updates intended to enhance reliability and customer comfort. Notable features include USB charging ports, glass windows, and accessibility upgrades such as automatic doors for toilet facilities.
MTA Chief of Rolling Stock Program Tim Mulligan said:The MTA is the biggest railcar purchaser in North America, and we are using innovative methods to bring down costs and delivery time. 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.
The vehicles are planned for use on electrified sections of the LIRR and on the Hudson and Harlem lines of Metro-North.
This procurement is part of a broader investment in fleet renewal under the MTA’s capital plan, which includes a projected spend of 10.9 billion USD on approximately 2,000 new railcars.
The investment has been backed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who highlighted the role of commuter rail in supporting mobility across the region.
Governor Hochul said: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. 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 decision aligns with MTA’s long-term objectives to improve infrastructure, update its vehicle fleet, and sustain service quality across its networks.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said: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. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her work to secure the funding that made it possible.
