Metro-North Railroad rolling stock

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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.

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 201–224, 226-231, 250
(31 units)
3,200 horsepower (2,400 kW)
  • Dual mode for operation into Grand Central Terminal
  • Being replaced by Siemens SC-42DM
  • 228–231 are owned by ConnDOT
  • 225 renumbered to 250 for America 250 livery
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)
Siemens SC-42DM Charger
2024- 301-333 (7 units delivered) 4,200 horsepower (3,100 kW)
  • Dual Mode operation for 3rd rail when available
  • To replace existing P32AC-DM units
  • 328-333 owned by ConnDOT
EMD GP40-3H
1971 2017-2019 6695-6696, 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
Dual mode Siemens Charger 2025–2027 (16 units) --
  • Battery operation for Penn Station Access

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.[3][4] 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.[5] On September 22, 2025, Metro-North and Siemens invited press and Governor Hochul and other elected officials on the inaugural run of the SC42-DM from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie marking revenue service for the chargers.[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] 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.[8]

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.[9]

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.[10][11] Metro-North intends to begin replacing the Shoreliners used on other east-of-Hudson services by 2029.[12]

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.[13]

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

Future electric multiple units

Builder and model Photo Build
year
Year rebuilt Fleet numbers Notes
Alstom
M9A
2029-2031 N/A 156 cars

242 options available[14]

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, Metro-North intends to replace all M3A cars by 2029.[12] In June 2025 NY Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to purchase 316 M9A[18] which was then signed and executed in July 2025.[14] The contract includes options for 242 more that can be executed.

Retired rolling stock

References

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