Alstom announced that it has delivered the first Multilevel III commuter rail vehicle to NJ TRANSIT. Alstom delivered the first Multilevel III commuter rail vehicle to NJ TRANSIT.

The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.

NJ TRANSIT’s New Multilevel Commuters

The new double-deck trains will replace legacy single‑level cars that have been in service for more than 40 years, transforming the passenger experience with more seats, improved comfort, and shorter travel times, officials said.

The vehicles are capable of traveling 110 mph, making them up to 30 mph faster than the previous fleet. The boost in speed enables NJ TRANSIT to improve schedule reliability and accommodate increasing passenger demand, officials said.

Additionally, the Multilevel III vehicles feature amenities such as USB charging ports in every row, audio announcements, and digital signs informing passengers of upcoming station stops.

“Our focus remains on delivering a rail system that customers can depend on every day,” said NJ TRANSIT President/CEO Kris Kolluri. “These new multilevel cars will dramatically improve reliability, expand capacity, and significantly enhance the on-board customer experience. For the first time in our agency’s history, we will proudly deliver a fully modernized rail fleet for our customers by 2031.”

Greater Capacity, Reliability

The first car delivered to the Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny, New Jersey, is a power car developed by Alstom in close partnership with NJ TRANSIT to allow trains to operate without locomotives.

The power cars include electric propulsion and more than 100 passenger seats. They will be combined with other power cars, trailer cars, and cab cars to form an Electric Multiple Unit that will accelerate faster, thus improving trip times, while also providing built‑in redundancy, officials said. The flexible design will enable the agency to adjust train lengths to accommodate passenger volumes for service changes and special events.

NJ TRANSIT ordered the Multilevel III vehicles in phases over the past seven years.

The transit agency has ordered 112 power cars, 100 cab cars that include compartments where an operator can control the train, and 162 trailer cars.

The vehicles are Buy-America compliant, consisting of at least 70% U.S.-made content and assembled in Plattsburgh, New York, by Alstom’s unionized workforce