New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has approved the procurement of 316 commuter railcars to be operated on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad. The order was formally endorsed by the MTA Finance Committee on June 23, 2025. Of the total number, 160 cars will be designated for LIRR, and 156 cars will support Metro-North operations.
The M-9A units will be manufactured by Alstom Transportation in New York State, a move that is expected to generate several hundred jobs during the production phase. Initial deliveries of the pilot cars are scheduled for 2029, with passenger service entry for the LIRR anticipated in 2030. The full order is expected to be completed by 2032.
This procurement is part of a broader investment in fleet renewal under the MTA’s Capital Plan, which includes a projected cost of $10.9 billion for approximately 2,000 new railcars. The investment has been backed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who highlighted the role of commuter rail in supporting mobility across the region.