New Yorkers and New Jerseyans commuting across the Hudson know the struggle of delayed, aging trains all too well.
Luckily, sweet relief is officially on the horizon.
NJ Transit is about to roll out the first of its brand new Multilevel III rail cars, a fully modernized fleet equipped with double-decker seating, faster travel times, and high-tech amenities.
Travelers making the trek around the Tri-State area will get their first taste of the upgraded commute later this year.
The initial rollout kicks off this summer and fall, with a total of 374 next-generation rail cars eventually planned for deployment across the statewide system.
The new Multilevel III fleet is manufactured by Alstom right over in Plattsburgh, New York, as part of a massive $3 billion investment to fully modernize NJ Transit operations by 2031.
These state-of-the-art trains are set to completely replace the system’s aging Arrow III and Comet single-level cars, some of which have been chugging along the rails since the 1970s.
Here is a closer look at the shiny new fleet.
Features of the new Multilevel III trains
NJ Transit’s latest additions promise a massive upgrade in reliability, speed, and overall passenger comfort.
- Dramatically increased reliability: The new cars can travel an impressive 400,000 miles before a mechanical failure, making them ten times more reliable than the 1970s models currently on the tracks.
- Faster commutes: Upgraded power cars allow the trains to reach operating speeds of up to 110 mph, while offering much faster acceleration to trim down trip times.
- Modernized amenities: Every single row will feature USB charging ports to keep your devices powered up on the go.
- More space: The double-deck design maximizes seating capacity, meaning fewer crowded aisles and better chances of grabbing a seat during rush hour.
- High-tech navigation: The cars are equipped with new onboard information screens, clear audio announcements, and digital signs informing passengers of upcoming station stops.
- Upgraded accessibility: The fleet includes improved accessibility features for a smoother, safer ride for all passengers.
Deploying the new NJ Transit fleet
According to an official press release, the very first Multilevel III rail car was unveiled on April 13 at the Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny, New Jersey.
The transit agency expects to introduce up to 40 of these new rail cars into regular passenger service later this year following a few months of rigorous testing.
This exciting rollout is just the beginning of a broader initiative to give the entire public transit system a major facelift by 2031.
Along with the 374 new train cars, NJ Transit is also introducing 250 new low-floor buses equipped with blind-spot cameras, fully renovated River LINE light rail vehicles, and new Access Link paratransit vans.
For daily commuters, this means the era of breaking down old train cars is finally coming to a close.
With faster speeds, unmatched reliability, and a much smoother ride on the way, traveling between New Jersey and New York City is about to get a whole lot easier.
