New York’s MTA finalises $1.5bn contract for new subway cars
Kawasaki Rail Car will begin manufacturing and delivering the cars in autumn 2028, with all units to be handed over by 2030.
New York State’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board has approved a contract valued at $1.507bn for the purchase of 378 new R268 subway cars, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
The procurement will be funded through the MTA’s $68bn 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which was fully financed in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Enacted Budget in agreement with the State Legislature.
Hochul said: “I promised New Yorkers that we’d make generational investments in the transit system that is the lifeblood of our region, and we’re delivering by purchasing 378 state-of-the-art cars that will keep our city moving for decades to come.”
Kawasaki Rail Car will manufacture and deliver the cars beginning in autumn 2028, with all units scheduled for handover by 2030.
The new R268 models will replace the ageing R68 and R68A cars on the ‘B’ division, which currently operate on several lines nearing the end of their service lifespans.
Furthermore, the design of the R268s will align with that of the existing R211 fleet.
The new vehicles are expected to include security cameras, accessible seating, enhanced lighting, and clearer signage.
Kawasaki Rail Car president Yusuke Hirose said: “Governor Hochul and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber remain steadfast in their commitment to modernising New York City Transit’s rolling stock.
“The R268 contract will not only secure employment for hundreds of workers in our Yonkers facility, but also delivers state-of-the-art, high-quality subway cars to NYC riders.”
The addition of these cars is set to facilitate ongoing conversion to Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) systems.
In addition, the MTA plans for all cars operating on the ‘B’ division to be compatible with CBTC once deliveries are complete.
The MTA anticipates that these signalling upgrades will support increased train frequency and improved operational reliability, as well as provide more precise real-time train arrival data.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said: “This purchase allows us to replace cars at the end of their useful life before they start breaking down. And by building on the successful procurement of R211 train cars, we were able to save money on nearly 400 modern subway cars.”
Current signal modernisation projects are in progress on several routes.
Revenue from congestion pricing is allocated for additional CBTC implementation on the Fulton Street and Liberty Avenue Lines in Brooklyn and Queens and on Manhattan’s Sixth Avenue Line.
Funding from the 2025-2029 Capital Plan will enable further signalling improvements on other identified lines across Manhattan and Astoria.
In January 2025, the MTA approved the use of Wabtec’s R255 hybrid battery-diesel work locomotives for its subway maintenance operations.
This decision follows an order the agency placed with Wabtec in 2020.
