Port Newark recently took delivery of two Kawasaki rail cars as part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $1 billion PATH Improvement Plan (PIP).
The PATH commuter rail system connects New York and New Jersey. The rail cars are the first of 72 cars scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023.
The cars were transported to a Kawasaki facility in Yonkers, New York, to be fitted out and tested before being put into service.
“These improvements help ensure that PATH continues to meet the needs of our region’s residents who depend on it every day,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said.
PATH has approximately 350 cars in service. The new cars will increase the fleet by more than 20 percent.
The PIP is part of a broader initiative that includes a plan to increase capacity, reduce delays, and enhance the overall customer experience through new technology and additional personnel.
To increase capacity, the port authority also will utilize a new signal system to run trains more frequently, and expand station platforms to accommodate 9-car trains on the Newark-World Trade Center line instead of 8-car trains. The authority also is expanding five stations on the line with construction expected to be completed by the end of the year.