The 41 bilevels will be added to the original 83-car order funded by the commonwealth of Massachusetts to replace aging Commuter Rail cars and boost fleet capacity. According to MBTA, 76 of those 83 cars have already been delivered and 64 are in service; the remaining cars are undergoing final testing and are expected to enter service by the end of 2024.
The original contract with Hyundai Rotem was valued at $278.6 million. This increased to about $305 million, following the purchase of three additional cars, vehicle enhancements, and the purchase of capital spare parts, according to a report by International Railway Journal, a Railway Age sister publication. MBTA told IRJ that the new 41-car order is valued at $168.2 million.
MBTA reported that the new bilevels will feature increased seating for up to 179 riders per car; designated areas for riders with disabilities; real-time information systems with automated announcements and message displays; improved accessible restrooms with hands-free faucets; USB ports at rider tables; LED lighting; and bicycle racks. For safety, it added, defibrillators (AEDs) will be included on control cars, and all cars will offer emergency intercom units, anti-slip paint in vestibules, and updated signage, including Braille.
Keolis Commuter Services operates MBTA’s 14 Commuter Rail lines in the greater Boston region and Rhode Island (see map below). The 388-route-mile, 141-station system serves nearly 90,000 riders on weekdays. According to Keolis, Commuter Rail in April 2023 achieved an 80% ridership return post-COVID.
“As we continue to see a strong return of our ridership on Commuter Rail, investing in our rolling stock allows us to not only improve service levels but provides the public with a more comfortable and reliable experience,” MBTA CEO and General Manager Phillip Eng said. “I thank the commitment from Hyundai Rotem to continue delivering quality cars for our riders and the MBTA managers that have overseen the production and quality assurance testing as we improve service and replace the aging fleet.”
“We will always strive for excellence so that we can deliver the cars that can lead to customer satisfaction in time,” Hyundai Rotem CEO Yong Bae Lee said. “Hyundai Rotem will actively participate in the future U.S. Rolling Stock Market by utilizing its past performance of cooperating with local transportation authorities.”
According to MBTA, investing in “state-of-the-art rolling stock was a much needed effort” underscored by its November 2023 Capital Needs Assessment that estimated $24.5 billion to support state-of-good repair work across the system. Rolling stock accounted for $2.4 billion.
In related developments, on July 25, the MBTA Board of Directors approved a $54 million plan to bring BEMU (battery-electric multiple-unit) train service to the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line, and in 2022, the agency selected CAF USA Inc. tp supply 102 Type 10 “Supercars” under a nearly $811 million contract for use on the Green Line.
