M9 (railcar)
The M9 is a future electric multiple unit railroad car to be designed for and ordered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York) for the Long Island Rail Road as part of the 2008-2013 Capital Plan. The purchase of the initial 84 M9 cars is intended to expand the Long Island Rail Road's fleet size in anticipation of the completion of the East Side Access Capital project. The additional rolling stock will address the need for additional service to Grand Central Terminal and anticipated expanded service. The projected cost of developing, designing, and constructing the first order of M9 cars is 205 million USD. The MTA plans a larger additional fleet purchase at some point to replace the aging M3 railcars, beyond the scope of the 2008-2013 Capital Plan.
The award for procurement of the LIRR fleet is expected in July 2012 while specifications for MNRR's cars are due in November of the same year. As this railway car model has only been noted as a projected purchase, it is subject to major changes in design.
Early 2012 forecasts predicted both agencies would procure a total of 462 M9s in the next 6 years (252 for the LIRR and 210 for the MNRR), with 236 of them falling in 2012.
In mid-2012, the MTA (LIRR) issued a joint procurement request for itself and MNRR for a total of up to 676 M-9 and 160 M-9A railcars, set for delivery between 2016 and 2020. The contract is expected to be awarded during the 2nd quarter of 2013.
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