MTA NYCT New Millennium Trains

Starting in 1996, the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) embarked on a major passenger railcar procurement to replace old cars and provide for fleet expansion. Back then, the number of subway riders had risen by 20 percent to a daily ridership of more than 4.5 million due to a combination of factors including the introduction of the MetroCard along with free bus transfers, a booming regional economy, and increased service reliability. At the same time, the average car age was about 18 years for the entire fleet of about 5,800 cars and about 35 years (close to the end of their useful life) for the IRT A Division Redbirds fleet of 1,397 cars which were being operated in the very busy corridors of Manhattan Lexington Avenue and the Queens Flushing Lines. In spite of their high reliability based on a well-planned and well-executed maintenance program, the Redbirds’ structural car bodies were showing evidence of aging compounded by mechanical stress due to the increased ridership. Therefore, it became crystal clear to the MTA, NYCT’s parent organization that it was crucial to kick-off a multi-year 4.0 billion dollar procurement program funded with U.S. Federal government, the State of New York, MTA monies for thousands of cars assigned to both the IRT and the BMT/IND (B Division) lines. Starting in July 1997 with the R34142 (R142) contract to Bombardier for 1030 cars and with the R142A contract to Kawasaki for 520 cars, this program continued in December 1998 with the R143 contract to Kawasaki for 212 cars, in October 2002 the R160 contract to ALSKAW (ALSTOM 400 cars and Kawasaki 260 cars) and finally in May 2003, the 80 car R142S to Kawasaki. In the near future, there is a funded project to buy additional 47 R142 or R142A cars for the scheduled CBTC implementation program on the Flushing “7” Line. Today, in retrospect, the success of this new car program makes it look so easy but 10 years ago many organizational and technical challenges faced the program team, which at one point seemed to be drowning by multiple equipment failures and field modifications. Thanks to a team spirit of 100% total dedication in order to achieve success and learning while making but not repeating mistakes, our New Millennium Trains (NMTs) today represent a new symbol for the great improvement in the quality of like of New York City, the international capital of the world.