Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman/CEO Joseph J. Lhota and MTA New York City Transit President (NYCT) Thomas F. Prendergast visited the Bombardier Transportation manufacturing site in Plattsburgh, N.Y., which will produce 300 next-generation R-179 subway cars for NYC Transit in a $600 million order funded by the MTA Capital Program.

State Sen. Betty Little, Assembly Member Janet Duprey and Plattsburgh Mayor Donald Kasprzak attended the tour along with Bombardier executives. They viewed NJ Transit commuter railcars and Chicago Transit Authority subway cars being built, and visited a test track where Lhota briefly operated a nearly completed CTA car.

The visit highlighted the significant economic benefit that the MTA brings to upstate New York through its Capital Program. Bombardier has built more than 2,000 subway and commuter railcars for the MTA in Plattsburgh since it opened its railcar plant in 1995. More than 400 people are employed at the manufacturing plant.

The NYC Transit subway purchase, approved by the MTA Board in March, includes 300 cars for the B Division (lettered lines), as well as spare parts, special tools, diagnostic test equipment, technical documentation and training. It will retain 300 jobs at the rail car plant and generate 308 supplier-related jobs.

The 300-car order is in the early stages of design. The first production cars are expected to be delivered to NYC Transit in 2015.