The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) recently unveiled the first two of 33 state-of-the-art, 4,200-horsepower locomotives that will serve Poughkeepsie, Southeast, Danbury, and Waterbury.
The locomotives, known by the model number SC42-DM, will eventually replace Metro-North Railroad’s existing fleet.
The new locomotives, built by Siemens Mobility, will operate in electric mode for the entire 102-mile route. They are Tier IV compliant and are expected to cut airborne pollutants by more than 85 percent while operating in diesel mode.
“These beautiful new locomotives are part of creating the best customer experience every day on every ride on Metro-North and reaffirm our commitment to run the most reliable service possible,” Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi said. “Taking public transportation is one of the best ways to address climate change, and I look forward to the environmental benefits that will result when these locomotives go into service early next year.”
The arrival of the first two locomotives marks the second phase of locomotive qualification testing. During the phase, the locomotives’ performances will be tested in the Metro-North operating environment. They are expected to enter passenger service in early 2025.
MTA funded 27 locomotives, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation funded six.