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Catching the train from any Metro-North stop in Fairfield County might become more pleasant soon. Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced that an additional $226 million in funding is expected to buy new rail cars for the aging fleet.
Rell looked around inside one of the new M-8 electric rail cars and smiled. Glancing at Department of Transportation Commissioner Jeffrey A. Parker, she said, "It has that new car smell, doesn't it?"
Two of the cars were hooked together and on display at New Haven's Union Station, where Rell held a press conference Tuesday to announce that she expects the state Bond Commission to approve $226 million to purchase 80 of the new cars at its Aug. 11 meeting.
In 2006, the state approved the purchase of 300 M-8 cars to start updating the fleet. By the end of this year, Parker expects to have three trains of eight cars in service. According to Rell, purchasing the cars now allows them to "piggyback" on the original purchase order at a price favorable to the state. If the state waits for the contract to expire and has to start a new purchase order, Rell estimates the per-car cost would rise by $1 million.
The new cars are self-propelled and do not require engine cars to pull and push them. The bathrooms are larger and electrical outlets are available to charge laptops and cell phones. Part of the funding for the new cars will go toward installing security cameras on all trains. Some of the cars are flagged for retrofitting into bar cars. Parker said it was more cost effective to order cars in their normal configuration and modify them as needed.
"We've had a lot of butts in those seats, and now it's time to retire them," Parker said referring to the vintage cars.
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