Official Arrow IIIs To Be Replaced With "Multilevel Power Cars" Soon...

[Cait Sith]

RAIL ROLLING STOCK PROGRAM: ENGINEERING ASSISTANCE CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR DESIGN OF MULTILEVEL POWER CARS

 

Since 2005, NJ TRANSIT's multilevel vehicles have enhanced the comfort and quality of service for customers and improved the reliability of rail service wherever they are operated. The vehicles feature state-of-the-art onboard communications, wider seats and more leg room, and improved mechanical systems that are less prone to weather conditions.

 

NJ TRANSIT's rail fleet management strategy includes use of more multilevel rail cars to maximize capacity for customers in the capacity-constrained Hudson River Tunnels and Penn Station New York. NJ TRANSIT has already deployed 321 multilevel vehicles in revenue service and an additional 100 multilevel vehicles have been ordered and will be delivered in the year ahead.

The single-level, self-propelled Arrow III Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) rail cars, which were manufactured nearly 35 years ago, are the next vehicles in NJ TRANSIT’s fleet that require replacement. NJ TRANSIT will replace these outdated Arrow III vehicles with new Multilevel Power Cars (MPCs). These new self-propelled rail cars will feature all of the customer amenities that are provided on the existing multilevel fleet including the two by two seating, but will also include onboard propulsion that will allow the cars to operate without a locomotive.

 

The MPCs will be mixed with the current fleet of Multilevels to provide self-propelled train sets without locomotives. Since these new train sets will utilize rail cars from the existing fleet, there are significant capital cost advantages to these new MPC vehicles versus replacement of the Arrow III fleet on a car for car basis.

The new multilevel trains with MPCs will increase the peak hour capacity into New York Penn Station by approximately eight percent. The Multilevel Power Cars will meet all current Federal regulations and accessibility requirements. These vehicles will provide operational flexibility for both smaller trains that operate in low ridership areas as well as with longer trains that operate in places such as the Northeast Corridor.

 

Authorization is requested to enter into a procurement-by-exception to amend Contract No. 05-078 with LTK Engineering Services, Inc. of Ambler, Pennsylvania, for engineering assistance to modify the previously-developed single-level, self-propelled electric multiple unit rail car specification for a Multilevel Power Car and support NJ TRANSIT's procurement activities for the new vehicles at a cost not to exceed $1,400,000, plus five percent for contingencies, for a total contract authorization of $5,208,000, subject to the availability of funds.

 

 

Source - http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BoardAgendaTo

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Bi-Level EMUs? Congratulations NJT, you managed to impress me with this one. Can't wait for these.

[mtattrain]

lol buh bye Arrow 3s

[Guest MTA Bus]

It's about time we had some Bilevel EMUs in the tri state area. Good job NJ Transit. You just continue to impress me.

[Fan Railer]

I'll be interested in how they plan to mash up new power cars with existing multilevels. If they go with a 1 powered to 2 unpowered ratio, then perhaps we'll get decent performance out of the hybrid fleet.

[mfs NJT459]

I hope Bombardier gets the order

They should have the pantograph on top of each powered ML

 

So that means there can be powered MLs with unpowered MLs without a locomotive?

 

Anyone want to take a guess on how many EMU cab cars would be ordered?

[Fan Railer]

I hope Bombardier gets the order

They should have the pantograph on top of each powered ML

 

So that means there can be powered MLs with unpowered MLs without a locomotive?

 

Anyone want to take a guess on how many EMU cab cars would be ordered?

 

It won't be a 1 to 1 replacement, so I'm guessing about 120 or so new motor cab cars. This way, if they set up an M-T-T-M configuration for the new trains, then you'd have 60 four-car sets of EMUs that could float around the system (a total of 240 cars to replace the 230 Arrow IIIs).

[KeystoneRegional]

It shows how NJTransit gets it, good decision NJTransit! Getting the car that fit your needs is a plus, and a good way to show that you can increase seats in times that needs the seat space and standing space too!

[mfs NJT459]

they could be used on the North Jersey Coast Line all the way to Long Branch

 

I wonder if Metro-North would also use them for the Meadowlands game day trains from New Haven to Secaucus especially for Super Bowl in 2014

[MHV9218]

I'm a little tired of the Arrows IIIs these days, considering I get one literally every week that I go out to Broad St. in Newark, but I'll miss hitting 75-80 mph on the Arrows, since there's no way the new fleet will be anywhere near as quick. Interesting news though.

[Fan Railer]

I'm a little tired of the Arrows IIIs these days, considering I get one literally every week that I go out to Broad St. in Newark, but I'll miss hitting 75-80 mph on the Arrows, since there's no way the new fleet will be anywhere near as quick. Interesting news though.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch. There's still a chance that Bombardier will be able to pull a fast one on us with new equipment.