Alstom nets major MTA contract

PLATTSBURGH | Alstom has been awarded a $2.3 billion contract to manufacture 316 commuter rail cars for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad, the commuter rail divisions of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The contract includes an option of up to 242 additional cars for a value of up to $1.5 billion. The M-9A passenger vehicles will replace 40-year-old M-3 cars, the oldest model operating on the commuter lines, and will offer a quieter, smoother and more reliable ride. The cars will feature USB charging ports, space for wheelchairs and accessible restrooms. Two sets of extra-wide doors on each side of the car will continue to ensure that passengers board and disembark quickly. The contract is expected to create nearly 300 jobs across Alstom's two production sites in upstate New York, many of which will be filled by members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union. Alstom will assemble the trains in Hornell, in the Southern Tier, manufacturing the car body shells at the newly opened Plant 4, which was built expressly to "reshore" that activity to the U.S. The bogies (undercarriages) will be assembled at Alstom's plant in Plattsburgh. The propulsion system will be made by Alstom in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. "With the M-9A project, Alstom looks forward to delivering great commuter trains and good jobs for New Yorkers," said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas. "We are grateful to the MTA for putting their trust in us and building on the long history that Alstom has with the MTA and with manufacturing state-of-the-art trains in America. These new trains not only provide passengers with greater comfort, convenience, and amenities; they will also be made in our New York factories, by New York labor. The investment the MTA makes in these train cars is an investment in local communities throughout the Empire State." Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Advanced manufacturing is a vital Upstate New York industry, and the recent state-of-the-art upgrades at Alstom's Hornell facility were made possible through strategic investments by the company and New York State. Those investments are paying dividends through the company's new MTA contract, and these 'Made in New York' rail cars will support jobs and regional economic growth while providing safe and reliable transportation." About half of the rail cars (160) will be put into use by LIRR, the busiest commuter railroad in the country, and the others (156) by Metro-North, which serves the northern New York and Connecticut suburbs. They will bring the total number of commuter and subway cars that Alstom has produced for the MTA to approximately 5,400. The new cars will meet the MTA's latest cybersecurity standards to protect the train's internal systems and external communications. All the vehicles will be electric multiple units (EMUs) and will not need a locomotive to propel them along electrified tracks. Alstom has a significant presence across New York state, including offices in Rochester and Manhattan, an operations and maintenance services site for JFK AirTrain in Queens, manufacturing facilities in Hornell and Plattsburgh, and an overhaul and maintenance facility in Kanona. Its Hornell site has a 170-year-long history and is the largest passenger rail manufacturing facility in the United States. Assemblyman Billy Jones called the MTA contract a major win for the North Country, saying, "Congratulations to Alstom for their recent contract with MTA to manufacture 316 commuter rail cars! This will bring nearly 300 new manufacturing jobs to Upstate New York between their two plants in Plattsburgh and Hornell, which will have a positive impact on the North Country's transportation manufacturing sector. This is a major win not only for the region, but for New York's transportation manufacturing industry as a whole, and I am proud to have supported Alstom through this process." The North Country Chamber of Commerce was also quick to applaud the contract and its local and statewide impacts. "We have been joined in advocacy for a green light on this huge order for several years, including active outreach to all of our state and federal friends including Governor Hochul, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, Assembly Speaker Heastie who we personally thanked on his recent visit here, Assemblyman Jones and State Senate Transportation Chair Cooney among others," says Garry Douglas, Chamber President. "This contract will bring years of steady work to Alstom's plants in both Hornell and Plattsburgh, and we are hopeful of another major announcement soon of another major contract by another transit authority specifically for Plattsburgh. The future of railcar production in upstate New York is bright and secure, supporting hundreds of good jobs and dozens of vendors and suppliers in the North Country and elsewhere in New York. Onward and upward!"

Signup for our newsletter

Alstom nets major MTA contract

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS