Governor Rell Unveils First M-8 Rail Cars

                Governor M. Jodi Rell, who has championed the investment and enhancement of Connecticut’s public transportation infrastructure since taking office in 2004, today unveiled the first two-car set of M-8 rail cars for use on the New Haven Line — one of the busiest commuter lines in the country.

The interior of the new train cars.

            “These state-of-the-art train cars will be serving Connecticut commuters for many years to come and I am proud to be here on Day One,” Governor Rell said, standing on the platform of Union Station in New Haven, next to the new cars. “Our commuters have been coping for years with aging rail equipment and their patience is about to be rewarded.

            “The best way to get people to leave their cars at home and use public transportation is to make the options as attractive as possible. These shiny new cars could not be more attractive,” the Governor said.

The exterior of the new train cars.

            In 2005, Governor Rell announced that the state would buy the new cars at a cost of almost $700 million — or more than $2 million each. Today, under a contract administered by the state Department of Transportation (DOT), Connecticut has ordered 300 of the new cars from Kawasaki Rail Car in Japan, scheduled for delivery over the next five years. The first ones will be added to the New Haven Line in 2010. Each car has 105 seats.

            “These cars will undergo a rigorous series of tests before they can be put into service,” said DOT Commissioner Joseph F. Marie, estimating that the initial cars will require six months of testing. “This is a process that cannot be rushed and, indeed, we will be working with Kawasaki to ensure that every system is checked and rechecked, tested and re-tested.  We expect these cars to last 30 to 35 years and we have an obligation to our customers to ensure that they are running flawlessly before we put them into ‘revenue service.’”

“Thanks to the M-8 pilot cars, we are not only about to begin a new year, but a new era of service on the New Haven Line in 2010,” Metro-North President Howard Permut said. “These new rail cars will enable Metro-North to provide our customers with a more efficient, reliable and comfortable commute every day.”

“This is the best holiday gift possible for commuters on Metro-North,” said Jim Cameron, Chairman of the Connecticut Metro-North Rail Commuter Council.  “The Commuter Council is thrilled that our long wait for new rail cars is almost over and salutes the Governor and legislature as well as CDOT for their hard work on our behalf.”

            The new cars will be maintained at the New Haven Rail Yard, which is another example of the Rell administration’s commitment to the New Haven Line. The rail yard is being completely overhauled and expanded at a cost of more than $700 million.

            There are more than 35 million passenger trips on the New Haven Line every year, making it one of the nation’s most heavily used. The state-owned line is operated by Metro-North Railroad under contract to the DOT. Thousands of Connecticut residents use the train every day to get to work in Connecticut and New York.