New Metro-North Locomotives Will Enhance Reliability, Reduce Air Pollutants

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has unveiled two new, state-of-the-art 4,200-horsepower Siemens locomotives that will upgrade and replace Metro-North Railroad’s existing fleet serving Poughkeepsie, Southeast, Danbury and Waterbury. Known by the model number SC42-DM, the new locomotives will provide a more reliable service and will be more environmentally friendly.

The new locomotives will travel much farther under electric power than the current fleet of locomotives they will replace, the P32s. Those operate under electric power only in the four miles in the tunnel in and out of Grand Central Terminal, but the new locomotives are expected to operate in electric mode the entire 102 miles of Metro-North’s third rail territory, which extends to Croton-Harmon, Southeast, and Pelham.

Enhanced reliability is made possible by new, state-of-the-art monitoring and diagnostic systems that allow crews to spot any possible problems quickly.

“These beautiful new locomotives are part of creating the best customer experience every day on every ride on Metro-North and reaffirm our commitment to run the most reliable service possible,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “Taking public transportation is one of the best ways to address climate change, and I look forward to the environmental benefits that will result when these locomotives go into service early next year.”

The locomotives are being built by Siemens Mobility, Inc., in Sacramento, CA, under a $414 million contract awarded by Metro-North in March 2021. The procurement of the locomotives, design reviews, test coverage, and vehicle inspection services were supported by STV.

“As the first dual mode offering from Siemens Mobility in North America, these locomotives for Metro-North are a sustainable alternative to transform rail in New York,” said Marc Buncher, CEO, Siemens Mobility North America. “With our partners at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metro-North Railroad, and our Siemens Mobility team across the country, including our team in New York City, I look forward to seeing these modern, sustainable, and innovative locomotives connecting passengers across the New York Metropolitan Region and Connecticut.”

The first two locomotives, Nos. 301 and 302, are part of an eventual fleet of 33. Commensurate with levels of service in the diesel segments of the railroad, 27 of the locomotives are funded by the MTA and six are funded by Connecticut DOT. All will undergo testing and the first two are expected to be placed into passenger service in early 2025. Phase 1 takes place in Pueblo, CO, where the dynamic performance of the locomotive is validated. In Phase 2, performances will be tested in the Metro-North operating environment.