$68 billion program support! 2390 units! New York Subway launches the largest global tender for subw

Recently, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has officially launched the largest subway vehicle (van) procurement project in its history, issuing bidding documents (RFPs) to global rail transit vehicle manufacturers.

The total scale reached 2,390 vehicles, a record high

The basic order for this purchase is 1,140 new metro train cars (type R262), which will be used to replace the old R62 and R62A trains currently running on lines 1, 3 and 6.

At the same time, the tender also includes an additional procurement option of up to 1,250 cars, which, if all implemented, will further replace the R142 and R142A trains on Lines 2, 4 and 5.

The total scale of the project can reach up to 2,390 cars, which is more than the total number of subway vehicles of the Chicago Transit Authority and the total number of subway vehicles of the Boston Metropolitan Transportation Authority combined.

Funding source: $68 billion capital plan

The project is funded by the MTA 2025-2029 Capital Plan. With a total investment of $68 billion, the plan is the largest public transportation investment in New York's history.

In addition, some of the funds will also come from the 2020-2024 capital plan and congestion pricing revenue.

Promote vehicle modernization and service improvement

The new generation of R262 subway trains will significantly improve the operational reliability of the system. Its Mean Trouble-Free Range (MDBF) requirement is 200,000 miles, which is much higher than the approximately 89,000 miles of the existing R62/R62A trains.

This will effectively reduce operational failures, reduce the frequency of train outages, and improve the passenger travel experience.

Technical highlights: open cabin and intelligent upgrade

The bidding documents put forward a number of key technology upgrade directions, including:

• Introduction of Open Gangway to Improve Capacity and Passenger Mobility (First Application of Division A Line)

• Upgrade the in-car broadcasting system and hearing aids to improve the level of barrier-free services

• Equipped with Automatic Passenger Counting System (APC)

• The electric brake control system is used to reduce the number of parts and reduce maintenance costs

• Install on-board camera systems and platform monitoring equipment

• Equipped with an electronic cab lock to improve operational safety

In addition, more than 60% of the technical indicators in this tender adopt a "performance-based" design model, and for the first time, bidders are required to provide a total cost of ownership assessment to encourage enterprises to come up with innovative solutions.

Project schedule

• Bidding deadline: September 8, 2026

• Expected bid award: early 2028

The supporting system has been upgraded simultaneously

In order to ensure the smooth progress of large-scale vehicle renewal, the MTA has established a new "Rolling Stock Program" to be responsible for the procurement and full life cycle management of subway, bus and commuter rail vehicles.

At the same time, the MTA will build and put into use the first Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility at the end of 2025, which can realize localized testing and rapid commissioning of new vehicles, significantly improving delivery efficiency.

Official statement

Hochul said that large-scale investment in public transportation will bring millions of passengers a more reliable and high-quality travel experience, pushing New York into a new stage of public transportation development. This vehicle purchase is an important step in modernizing the system and will provide strong support for New York to build a world-class public transportation system.

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