NJ TRANSIT to Overhaul Fleet of 429 Multilevel Railcars
The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors has authorised an investment of 917 million USD to overhaul its existing fleet of 429 multilevel railcars.
The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors has authorised an investment of 917 million USD to overhaul its existing fleet of 429 multilevel railcars.
The Multilevel I and II cars are now due for their recommended mid-life overhaul following 20 years of service, with NJ TRANSIT also now currently in the process of procuring new third-generation Multilevel vehicles – with the overhaul set to ensure both compatibility and interoperability with the new Multilevel III vehicles.
The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors has authorised funding not to exceed 917,058,512.41 USD, plus 10% for contingencies, to overhaul the operator’s fleet of 329 Multilevel I vehicles and 100 Multilevel II vehicles, which were delivered between 2006-2009 and 2012-2013, respectively.
NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri said:
As I’ve committed to the Governor, modernizing our fleet isn’t just about adding new vehicles—it’s also about keeping our current ones in a state of good repair for the people who ride them every day.
This overhaul is part of our broader effort to fully modernize NJ TRANSIT’s rail and bus fleets by 2031, ensuring safe, reliable, and modern service for our customers systemwide.
An Expression of Interest (EOI) process will shortly be used to identify & evaluate qualified rail vehicle overhaul contractors with experience with large-scale commuter railcar mid-life overhaul programmes. The process will see NJ Transit invite contractors to submit qualifications, capabilities and relevant project experience.
Once assessed; NJ Transit will develop a list of contractors that will then be invited to participate in the final procurement and contract award stage, with the scope of work set to include (but not be limited to):
- Ensuring the cars are in a state of good repair and improving the systems to ensure their reliability and compatibility with new Multilevel III vehicles
- Enhancing passenger comfort with upgraded amenities and features to match Multilevel III vehicles, such as USB charging ports
- Promoting sustainability with energy-efficient systems and materials where feasible
The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors has previously authorised the purchase of 374 multilevel rail cars, with the new generation of cars set to replace the fleet of single level cars currently in operation. The new cars will provide expanded seating capacities and accessibility, offer top speeds of up to 110mph and include enhanced onboard amenities.
