Metro-North Railroad rolling stock

The Metro-North Railroad is a commuter railroad serving northern suburbs of New York City. It principally uses a fleet of electric railcars for its services; diesel locomotives and push-pull coaches are in use as well for non-electrified portions of the system.

History

When the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began to subsidize commuter rail systems of Penn Central Railroad and Erie Lackawanna Railway in the early-1970s, they inherited equipment of the former New York Central Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad and Erie-Lackawanna Railroad, some of which dated back to the early 20th Century. However, they also began to operate variations of the new M1 railcar which was designated as the "M1A." The next new fleet of EMUs came with the M2s, which replaced Pullman 4400-series cars dating back to the early 1920s to 1954 from 1973 to 1977. With the expansion of electrified territory, 142 M3As were ordered, arriving between 1984 and 1986. Two additional small orders would supplement the existing fleet; 54 M4s arrived in late 1987, and in 1994 48 M6s arrived. Many diesel locomotives inherited from those railroads, however, were used as recently as the early 21st Century. The M1As were replaced between 2004 and 2007 with the arrival of the 336 M7As. ^[1] In order to replace the M2, M4, and M6s on the New Haven Line and to respond to increasing ridership on that line 405 M8s were ordered. In 2016, in response to ridership higher than initially expected on the New Haven Line, up to 94 additional M8s will be built to meet that line's needs. ^[2]

Active rolling stock

Locomotives

Builder and model	Photo	Build year	Year rebuilt	Fleet numbers	Power	Notes
EMD GP35R		1964–1965	1991–1992; 2013–2017, 2019	101–108 (8 units)	2,500 horsepower (1,900 kW)	Work locomotive only Rebuilt by Brookville Equipment
EMD GP40FH-2M		1966–1970	1992–1993; 2007	4900–4905 (6 units)	3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW)	Operated by NJ Transit for West of Hudson services
EMD GP40PH-2M		1968	1992; 2007	4906 (1 unit)
EMD F40PH-3C		1976–1981	2009–2010	4907–4914 (8 units)
GE P32AC-DM		1995–2001	2012–2015	201–231 (31 units)	3,200 horsepower (2,400 kW)	Dual mode for operation into Grand Central Terminal To be replaced by Siemens SC-42DM 228–231 are owned by ConnDOT
Brookville BL20GH		2008	2017–	110–115, 125–130 (12 units)	2,250 horsepower (1,680 kW)	Used on branch line shuttles and work trains All being rebuilt as BL20GHM 125–130 are owned by ConnDOT
Brookville BL14CG		2009	–	401–402 (2 units)	2,000 horsepower (1,500 kW)	Used on work trains for East Side Access project. Replaced GP8 and GP9.
EMD GP40-3H		1971	2017-2019	6695, 6698-6699 (3 units)	3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW)	Leased from CT Rail until the remaining BL20GHs are rebuilt. Limited to branch line shuttle service

Future locomotives

Builder and model	Image	Build year	Fleet numbers	Power	Notes
Siemens SC-42DM Charger		2023–2030	(33 units)	4,400 horsepower (3,300 kW)	Dual-mode locomotive; can run on electric power in all third-rail electrified sections, and on diesel power elsewhere [3]
		2025–2027	(16 units)

In December 2020, the Metro-North board approved a Federal Transit Administration funded $334.9 million contract for Siemens to manufacture and test 19 dual-mode locomotives with an option for an additional eight more. 19 of the 27 dual-mode Locomotives ordered have already been fully approved for $231.6 million with the other eight at a cost of $82.1 million. In addition, the contract also included capital spare parts for $12.9 million, a training simulator for $1.5 million, test equipment for $3 million, and extended warranty for $3.6 million. The contract included 144 in total option locomotives with 66 additional locomotives for Long Island Rail Road in an alternate configuration, 32 additional locomotives for Metro-North, 20 for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and 26 locomotives in an alternate configuration for Amtrak/NYSDOT. These dual modes would be able to work on both Amtrak and Metro-North signal systems and will be able to sustain 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) in service. ^{[4] [5]} The first pair of locomotives were delivered in October 2024 and were expected to enter service in early 2025, with deliveries to continue through 2027. ^[6]

On January 24, 2025, Metro-North solicited a sole source procurement for up to 16 Siemens Charger locomotives from Siemens to operate service on Penn Station Access. The order would be done as an option order to an existing order. ^{[7] [8]} In February 2025, the MTA Board will vote on Option 4 for 13 dual-mode Charger locomotives, with an option for two additional locomotives for $304.9 million. These locomotives will be powered using both AC Pantographs to operate under catenary and battery power, which is a modification to Siemens' existing design for Tier 4 diesel-electric dual mode locomotives. ^[9]

Push-pull coaches

These cars are non-powered.

Builder and model	Photo	Build year	Year Rebuilt	Fleet Numbers	Number Active	Notes
Bombardier Comet II		1983, 1987	2009	6125, 6127, 6129, 6131, 6134, 6136, 6138, 6140, 6142–6149, 6176, 6178, 6180	19	Formerly used for West of Hudson service, transferred in 2009. Not rebuilt until transferred to East of Hudson.
Bombardier Shoreliner I		1983	1995–1996; 2008–2009	6101, 6103, 6105, 6107, 6109, 6150–6160, 6162, 6164, 6166, 6201, 6203, 6205, 6207, 6209, 6250–6260, 6262, 6264, 6266, 6268	39
Bombardier Shoreliner II		1987–1988	2008–2009	6111, 6113, 6115, 6117, 6119, 6121, 6123, 6161, 6163, 6165, 6167–6175, 6177, 6179, 6182, 6184, 6186, 6190, 6211, 6213, 6215, 6217, 6219, 6223, 6225, 6227, 6229, 6230, 6232, 6234, 6236, 6238, 6240, 6270, 6272, 6274, 6276, 6278	45	6188 wrecked and retired after 2013 accident at Spuyten Duyvil
Bombardier Shoreliner III		1991–2002	NA	6301-6310 6330-6344, 6346-6362 6364, 6366, 6368, 6370, 6372, 6374	48	6345 wrecked and retired after 2013 accident at Spuyten Duyvil.
Bombardier Shoreliner IV		1996–2002		6221, 6222, 6311–6320	57	6222, 6288, and 6440 wrecked and retired after 2013 accident at Spuyten Duyvil.
Alstom Comet V		2004		6700–6714, 6750–6799	65	Operated by NJ Transit for West of Hudson service.
Budd club/lounge		1949		1-3	3	Only used on special trains, ex-Lackawanna and New York Central. [10]

Future push-pull coaches

In August 2023, CTDOT approved a contract with Alstom for 60 single-level passenger cars. The cars will replace the existing Shoreliner coach fleet on the Waterbury Branch and the Danbury Branch, as well as Mafersa coaches and leased MBTA MBB coaches on the Hartford Line. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026. ^{[11] [12]} Metro-North intends to begin replacing the Shoreliners used on other east-of-Hudson services by 2029. ^[13]

In February 2025, the MTA Board will vote on a proposal to use a request for proposals (RFP) instead of competitive bidding to procure coach cars to be used for PSA to ensure full fleet availability and to replace Metro-North's Shoreliner Center-Door and End-Door coach cars. ^[14]

Electric multiple units

M3A and M7A cars draw power from 650 V DC third rail with under-running contact shoes. M8 draw power from third rail, both over- and under-running, or 12.5 kV 60 Hz and 25 kV 60 Hz AC catenary.

Builder and model	Photo	Build year	Year rebuilt	Fleet numbers	Number Active	Notes
Budd M3A		1983–1985	2008–2015	8000–8141	140
Bombardier M7A		2004–2006	N/A	4000–4335	334	4333 burned and destroyed in 2015 accident in Valhalla.
Kawasaki M8		2009–2022		9100–9421, 9460, 9462, 9464, 9466, 9468, 9470, 9472, 9474, 9476 (unpowered single cars) 9500–9519 9560, 9562, 9564, 9566, 9568, 9570, 9572, 9574, 9576, 9578, 9580, 9582, 9584, 9586, 9588, 9590 (unpowered single cars) 9600–9623 9700-9738	471	The order of 60 additional cars, and 34 additional cars with an option order was announced in 2016 [2] Replaced all M2/M4/M6s Shared with ConnDOT for use on Shore Line East services

Possible future electric multiple units

Builder and model	Photo	Build year	Year rebuilt	Fleet numbers	Notes
Kawasaki M9A		TBD	N/A	TBD Up to 300 cars	To replace M3As

MTA originally planned to order 188 M9A cars for Metro-North as part of the 2015-2019 Capital Program. ^[15] In June 2018, Metro-North announced that they would elect to not exercise their options for the M9 order, instead overhauling their M3A units to extend their lifespan. ^[16] However, that November, Metro-North stated that they "are working with LIRR to procure 170 new M9A cars in the next Capital Program to provide additional capacity and replace M3As." ^[17] As of 2024 ^[update] , Metro-North intends to replace all M3A cars by 2029. ^[13]

Retired rolling stock

Roster rolling stock manufactured from 1946 to the present.

Builder and model	Photo	Built	Retired	Heritage	Successor	Power	Notes
Locomotives
Brookville BL06		2000	2012	Metro-North	BL20GH	600 HP	Used as a yard switcher
EMD FP10		1946–1949 (rebuilt in late 1970s)	2008	GM&O; MBTA	P32AC-DM, BL20GH	1750 hp	Original Gulf Mobile & Ohio F3s, later MBTA; rebuilt F3s. 412 in service at Adirondack Scenic Railroad as 1502; 413 preserved at Danbury Railway Museum.
EMD GP9		1956	2009	New York Central	Brookville BL14CG	1400 hp	Work Locomotive; 750 is stored at Croton-Harmon
EMD GP8		1957	2010			1750 hp	Work Locomotive only. 543 is used during the winter to melt ice off the third rail. Reactivated for switcher service in 2012 after retirement 2010. At Croton-Harmon retired; in long term storage
ALCO RS-3m		1956	1990s	New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad		1200 hp	Preserved at Danbury Railway Museum
EMD FL9		1956–1959	1998–2002, 2009	New York, New Haven and Hartford; Penn Central; Conrail	P32AC-DM, BL20GH, Amtrak P40DC	1800 hp	Dual-mode locomotive with third rail shoe for running in Park Ave Tunnel - in later years was relegated to 100% diesel work on branch lines. Several have been donated to railroad museums.
GE B23-7		1976	1993	Conrail	GP35R	2250 hp	Work Locomotive; ex-Conrail. Traded Back to GE on expiration of lease for the GP35Rs.
GE U34CH		1978	1994	Erie Lackawanna	GP40PH-2	3600 hp	Used for the Port Jervis Line. Rebuilt Chicago and North Western U30C; Scrapped
Republic Locomotive FL9AC		1992	2005	New York New Haven and Hartford; LIRR	P32AC-DM	3000 hp	Ex. LIRR; rebuilt EMD FL9s. All scrapped.
GE P40DC		1993	2009	Amtrak	BL20GH	4000 hp	Amtrak-leased units to replace FL9s. Retained Amtrak paint and logo. Were used on Danbury, Waterbury and Wassaic branch lines. Amtrak 833, 834, 836, 838, 840, 841, 842, and 843. When Metro-North returned these units, they were sold to CTDOT for Shore Line East. All rebuilt and now used on Hartford Line.
Self-Propelled Cars
Budd RDC		1950–1956	1991	New York Central; New York New Haven and Hartford	P32AC-DM; Shoreliner coaches	550 hp	Used on Port Jervis Line and Waterbury Branch. New Haven 32 and 47 are at Danbury Railway Museum; 47 was stripped for parts for 32. 32 is operational. Metro-North demotored certain units for push pull coaches
Pullman 4400		1954	1983	New York, New Haven and Hartford	Budd M2s	650 V DC Third Rail under running 11 kV 25 Hz AC catenary	Ex-New Haven Railroad; ran on New Haven Line; 3 units are at Danbury Railway Museum (One owned by private individual); Replaced by M2s
Pullman ACMU		1962–1965	2004	New York Central	Bombardier M7As	650 V DC third rail under-running	Ex-New York Central; electrical multiple units; replaced by M7As. 1128 and 1171 are at Danbury Railway Museum.
Budd SPV-2000		1978–1981	1996	Amtrak/ConnDOT, MTA	P32AC-DM; Shoreliner coaches	550 hp	Owned by MTA and ConnDOT (CTDOT units had Amtrak logos in addition to State of CT seal.) Used on branch lines of Metro-North and Amtrak's Springfield line. CTDOT de-powered their units for Shore Line East. Those have since been retired in favor of Ex-VRE Mafersa push-pull coaches. MNCR 293 is preserved at Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum in Willimantic, CT. Several ConnDOT-owned de-powered units were sent to New Orleans for hurricane-standby duty.
Budd M1A		1971–1973	2009	Penn Central	Bombardier M7As	650 V DC third rail under-running	Replaced by M7As
Budd M2		1972–1977, rebuilt 1992–1994, 2006	2018		Kawasaki M8s	650 V DC third rail under-running & 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC catenary	Largely replaced by M8s in 2015, all replaced in 2018. Pair 8706-8707 has been preserved by the Danbury Railway Museum.
Tokyu Car M4		1987–1988	2015	Metro-North/ ConnDOT			Replaced by M8s, last run of M4/M6 equipment June 26, 2015.
Morrison-Knudsen M6		1994	2015				Replaced by M8s, last run of M4/M6 equipment June 26, 2015, last new build DC traction railcars in North America
Coaches
Various stainless-steel coaches and club cars		Various years	1985	New York New Haven and Hartford, New York Central	Shoreliner I and II Cars	Non-Powered	Disposed of or sold through the 1980s as new equipment came on line.
Pullman Standard 4800 series coaches		1950s		SEMTA			Detroit's commuter carrier.
Morrison-Knudsen Boise Budds		1982	1998		Shoreliner III cars		Rebuilt Budd RDCs that had their Engines Removed and used as Push-Pull cars; Original MBTA then sold to VRE in 1986 then VRE sold them to Metro-North. 2 units sit on a deadline in Croton-Harmon; Rest sold to Caltrain in 2000, and are now used by the Grand Canyon Railway since 2005.
GE/Avco/Vickers Comet IA		1978	2005	Metro North	Alstom Comet V		Two cabs and eight trailers were built from surplus shells from the Arrow III EMU for NJDOT. They saw use primarily on the Port Jervis Line. Replaced by Comet V cars.
Bombardier Comet III		1991	1998/2008	New Jersey Transit			Sold to NJT in 1998, sold back to Metro-North in 2008. Now converted for use on LaserTrain.

Bar cars

Metro-North Railroad was the last commuter railroad in the United States to operate bar cars-- electric MUs equipped with bars that served alcohol. The M2 bar cars were delivered in 1974, and Metro-North has not ordered new ones. The last train which included a bar car left Grand Central for New Haven at 7:34 PM on Friday, May 9, 2014. While there is talk of retrofitting M8 cars with bars, no decision has been reached and no money allocated. However, on September 13, 2016, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy announced that the state would be buying another 60 M8 cars, 10 being "bar cars". ^[18] However, the idea was abandoned due to cost and train capacity concerns, as well as Metro-North not being willing to handle the bar themselves, wishing for an outside company to run the operation itself. ^{[19] [20] [21]}

References

1. "Acquisition of New Fleet and Intensive Maintenance are Main Factors". www.mta.info. February 22, 2016. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
2. "MTA Metro-North Railroad to Receive Up to 94 Additional M8 Cars for the New Haven Line". www.mta.info (Press release). November 16, 2016. Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
3. "Capital Program Committee Meeting - May 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority . Retrieved May 20, 2023.
4. "Joint Metro-North and Long Island Committees Meeting". mta.info. December 16, 2020. p. 128.
5. "Metro-North set to buy dual-mode locomotives from Siemens". Trains. December 14, 2020. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020.
6. "MTA Unveils New Modern Metro-North Locomotives" (Press release). Metro-North Railroad. November 1, 2024.
8. "Metro-North Railroad current procurement opportunities". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 24, 2025. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
9. "Metro-North Railroad Procurements". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
10. Cotey, Angela (December 4, 2019). "Metro-North holiday special set for first trips (updated)". Trains. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
11. "Alstom to supply 60 single-level coach cars to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for its statewide rail system" (Press release). Alstom. August 9, 2023.
12. "Governor Lamont Announces Purchase of 60 New Rail Cars to Modernize Commuter Rail Lines" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. August 9, 2023.
13. "2025–2029 Capital Plan". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 25, 2024. p. 139.
14. "Metro-North Railroad Procurements". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
15. "Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting October 2016" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 26, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
16. "Metro-North/LIRR Committee Meeting: June 2018". MTA. June 18, 2018.
17. "Metro-North Railroad Committee Meeting" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 13, 2018. p. 85. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
18. "Bar cars returning to Metro-North commuter trains". FOX 61. Associated Press. September 13, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
19. "Bar cars unlikely to return on Metro-North, Connecticut DOT commissioner says". TrainsMag.com. April 11, 2019. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
20. Vigdor, Neil (April 10, 2019). "Sober reality: DOT commish says bar cars not likely to return anytime soon on Metro-North New Haven Line". courant.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
21. Ormseth, Matthew (May 27, 2018). "Bar Cars Tabled, Again: Beloved Boozy Carriages Quashed By Transportation Funding Woes". courant.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.

External links

Media related to Rolling stock of the Metro-North Railroad at Wikimedia Commons