Battery-powered commuter trains to debut on Metro-North Railroad

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The Metro-North Railroad is set to operate some of the first battery-powered passenger trains in the nation, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

The MTA Board is expected to approve the purchase of 13 battery-and-electric powered locomotives on Wednesday, according to Hochul’s announcement. If approved, the trains will run on the New Haven Line providing access to Penn Station, according to officials. Four new stations will also be added in the Bronx.

They’re scheduled to be delivered beginning in January 2029 through July 2030, according to an MTA spokesperson. The MTA aims to purchase the locomotives for $305 million, according to agency documents.

Metro-North locomotives are not currently configured to serve Penn Station. But the agency said the newly purchased locomotives will be delivered Penn Station-ready.

“New York's transportation system sets the standard for clean and reliable transit in North America, and we are further expanding and modernizing our transit system to better connect every community across the state,” Hochul said. “I am committed to advancing environmentally friendly and clean modes of transportation — that's how we fight the climate crisis while delivering faster and more efficient service to riders."

The new trains will draw electrical power from overhead wires and will switch to battery mode for the tracks in and around Penn Station, according to the MTA. If the board approves, the MTA will purchase them from Siemens Mobility North America, which already has a contract with the MTA and is building 33 dual-mode locomotives for the Metro-North Railroad that run under diesel or third-rail power.

“Transit is the antidote to climate change, and these locomotives — the first ever in North America — demonstrate, again, the MTA’s commitment to using innovation to green the region,” MTA Chair Janno Lieber said.

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