On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it had awarded more than $630 million in grants to help transit agencies replace older rail cars.
The funding, part of the FTA’s Rail Vehicle Preplacement Program, will help transit agencies in Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore purchase 300 rail cars to replace older ones. The funding, officials said, will improve transportation systems while creating good-paying jobs and boosting economic competitiveness. Additionally, the agency said, the new railcars would make transit safer and more modern while opening up new opportunities for people with disabilities.
“Millions of Americans use subways, commuter rail, and light rail every day, but many railcars are decades old and in need of replacement,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “Through President Biden’s infrastructure law, we’re proud to deliver 300 new railcars to give Americans a safer, more comfortable, more reliable service on America’s rails.”
In Chicago, the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority )METRA) will receive $100 million to buy 50 new railcars that will replace cars in service for more than 40 years. The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) will receive an estimated $214 million for 52 new light rail vehicle to replace vehicles in service in Baltimore for more than 25 years. And in Philadelphia, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will receive $317 million to buy up to 200 new rail cars to replace cars along the Market Frankford Line, SEPTA’s most heavily used line, to replace cars in service for nearly 25 years.
“Newer, better railcars will mean a safer, more reliable, more accessible transportation future for the people of these communities,” FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said. “These cars also represent hundreds of jobs in American factories, building the next generation of American transit. We are proud to select these projects to improve passenger rail service for riders across the nation.”
The funding is part of the second Rail Vehicle Replacement Program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has invested nearly $1.3 billion in replacing rail vehicles across the country.