More New Metro-North Rail Cars Arrive In Connecticut

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Passengers are sitting pretty as another four new M8 rail cars were delivered to run on Metro-North’s New Haven Line, bringing the total number of new cars in Connecticut to 376, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on its website.

Metro-North is awaiting the delivery of only four more of the new M8 rail cars for the New Haven Line.
Photo Credit: *Casey Donahue, File*

Daily Voice

08/10/2014 5:00 a.m.

Of the 376 delivered as of Aug. 1, 364 have been conditionally accepted by Metro-North and another 12 are under inspection.

Only four new rail cars remain to be delivered for the long-anticipated upgrade on the New Haven Line. Metro-North ordered 380 M8s from Kawasaki Rail Car in 2006 for use on the New Haven Line.

On weekdays, 195 of the new M8 cars are running on the rails, 109 on Saturdays and 107 on Sundays. The new M8 trains represent 87 percent of total weekday New Haven Main Line service, 92 percent of the Saturday service and 90 percent of the Sunday service.

These trains operate during peak and off-peak service between New Haven, Stamford and Grand Central Terminal.

Of the 380 original order, the first 38 were built in Kobe, Japan, and the remaining 342 are being built at Kawasaki's plant in Lincoln, Neb.

The MTA and Kawasaki Rail Car announced a new contract this fall for up to $1.83 billion to design and build the next generation of M9 rail cars for the Metro-North Railroad on the Hudson and Harlem lines and on the Long Island Railroad.

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