New Jersey Transit on Oct. 30 previewed its in-production, Alstom Transportation-built Multilevel III railcars at the agency’s Meadows Maintenance Complex (MMC) in Kearny, N.J. No. 8015, a Trailer Car, was on display for members of the media and State and FTA officials.
The Multilevel (ML) III, an evolution of the ML I and II railcars currently in service, is a “hybrid” EMU (electric multiple-unit) and described as the first of its type in North America. There are three variations: Power Car, Trailer Car and Cab (Control) Car. With options, NJT has ordered 174: 40 Cabs, 18 Restroom-Equipped Trailers, 44 Trailers and 72 Power. The ratio is one Power Car to two Trailers; thus, the smallest consist is three units comprised of a Power Car sandwiched in between two Cabs. Train size is limited only to platform length; NJT could operate trainsets as long as 16 units, though typical consists will most likely be be 10-12 cars.
The ML IIIs will completely replace NJT’s aging Arrow III EMUs, last rebuilt by ABB Traction (now part of Alstom) in the mid-1990s, as well as some older single-level Comet II, III, IV and V cars acquired during the agency’s 40-year history. Rated at 110 mph maximum operating speed (10 mph higher than the ML I and II), they tout “a dramatic improvement in mechanical reliability” of an estimated 400,000 miles MDBF (Mean Distance Between Failure), according to NJT. The FRA has granted NJT a waiver to allow federally mandated shop inspections to occur every 184 days, rather than the customary 92.
But even if a road failure occurs, a trainset can continue moving (albeit at a lower speed), as Power Car traction equipment is fully redundant—four traction motors (two per truck), two HEP (Head-End Power) units and two sets of transformers and voltage converter/inverter modules. Power Cars, rated at 35,968 foot-pounds (160 kN) starting tractive effort and 3,082 HP (2,300 kW) traction power at the wheels, also feature regenerative braking, and four sets of 27-pin trainline and air brake connections (two sets per car end). New advanced technology includes IP cabling (four receptacles per car) for feeding trainset data communications (health monitoring, fault codes, etc.) to Cab Car displays in the engineer’s cab. The cars are also equipped with ACSES (Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System) Positive Train Control, as required by federal law.
ML III passenger amenities include USB charging ports (USB 2.0 and USB C) and LED information displays. New safety features include anti-skid strips and foot treads, touchless restroom equipment, LED lighting, security cameras, removable vestibule door windows, and onboard bridge plates for wheelchair accessibility. There’s also an updated version of the NJT tricolor logo design by railway industrial designer Cesar Vergara more than 20 years ago.
The ML III is almost completely compatible/interoperable with with the ML I and II. At present, it is “trainline-compatible” with the earlier versions, as the older units are not equipped with IP data communications. NJT plans to operate the ML IIIs in exclusive trainsets, but will transition to mixed I/II/III consists once the older cars are upgraded with IP technology.
A six-car trainset consisting of four Multilevel IIIs (two Power, one Cab, one Trailer)and two Multilevel Is (one Cab, one Trailer) will be static- and low-speed tested at Alstom’s Hornell, N.Y., plant for two months. Following that, the trainset will go to TTC Operated by ENSCO, Pueblo, Colo., for two to three months dynamic, interoperability and high-speed testing on the RTT (Railroad Test Track). The test set is in a Cab-Power-Trailer-Trailer-Power-Cab configuration.
NJT In December of 2018 awarded Bombardier Transit Corp. (now Alstom Transportation Inc.), supplier of the ML I and II, a contract for 113 ML IIIs to replace the Arrow IIIs. In February 2022, the agency exercised an option for an additional 25. In July 2024, NJT exercised a third option for 36, bringing the total number to 174. The cars are manufactured at Alstom’s Plattsburg, N.Y. plant. NJT said the service timeline is the initial 113 units in 2026, the first option of 25 in 2027 and the second option of 36 in 2028.
“NJ Transit is committed to improving every aspect of the customer journey, and the 174 new Multilevel III railcars will achieve that by vastly improving reliability, increasing capacity and enhancing the onboard experience,” said NJT President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett, who described the ML III as “a rolling data center with seats.”
“Innovative new trains with 21st century amenities will give commuters, students, sports fans—every kind of NJ Transit customer—the high-quality experience they have been demanding and deserve,” said Alstom Vice President, Head of Rolling Stock David Van der Wee. “Our employees in Upstate New York couldn’t be prouder to deliver these new trains.”
“The FTA is proud to support NJ Transit as it introduces 174 new Multilevel railcars into service,” said Michael Culotta, Federal Transit Administration Regional Administrator. “The new fleet, supported by $567.5 million in [State of Good Repair Signature Project] federal funds, includes state-of-the-art technologies providing improved accessibility, safety and efficiency that will leave an indelible mark on riders and align seamlessly with the FTA’s goals.”
Railway Age gratefully acknowledges NJT Rail Operations (NJTRO) Senior Director Equipment Design and Engineering Dave Carter, Director Equipment Design and Engineering/ML III Project Manager Sean Shim and Deputy General Manager Equipment Fred Chidester; and Alstom Chief Engineer, ML III Program Olivier Hudon for their assistance in preparing this report.
