NJ Transit, EMU & DEMU Multilevel III Railcars Project

Project Overview

NJ Transit awarded Bombardier Transportation a $669.1 million contract for 113 Multilevel III regional/commuter railcars: 58 powered cars with electric propulsion (AC catenary), and 55 non-powered cars—33 cab cars and 22 trailer cars, 6 of those with ADA-compliant restrooms. The new vehicles are scheduled to begin testing in the third quarter of 2022 and are expected to enter revenue service during the second quarter of 2023.

The Multilevel III Passenger Vehicles will replace the aging Arrow III EMUs, which are over 40 years old. The new cars increase seating capacity from 1,380 seats on a 12-car Arrow III train to 1,552 seats on a new 12-car Multilevel III train. The new cars will feature roomier two-by-two seating as opposed to the three-person bench seats that are currently on the Arrow III cars. Other customer amenities include USB charging ports for customers and new, onboard information displays.

The base order is for 58 multilevel power cars, 33 cab cars, 16 trailer cars and 6 trailer cars with restrooms. There are also options for an additional 636 cars to replace the remaining single-level cars and accommodate future growth. This purchase is allowing NJ TRANSIT to take a step toward the goal of having the overall average age of all rail vehicles under 30 years old, making for a more modern fleet that supports enhanced comfort, reliability and efficiency.

The benefits of the Multilevel III Passenger Vehicles include reduced operating costs, higher acceleration and an 11 percent increase in seating capacity.

Envision is providing administration support, schedule reviews, document control support, and risk register maintenance support.