PATH’s first new rail car hits the tracks in Hoboken

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At an event April 13 in Hoboken, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey unveiled the first of 72 new PATH rail cars that will deploy for service starting next week.

The new, high-performance cars are slated to supplement the current fleet of 350 and will be gradually integrated into the system throughout 2023 and into 2024.

They will be put into service on the Newark to World Trade Center, 33rd Street to Journal Square, Hoboken to 33rd Street, and Hoboken to World Trade Center lines, as well as the Journal Square to 33rd Street via Hoboken line on weekends.

The Port Authority says the effort is part of the agency’s $1 billion PATH Improvement Plan, aimed at reducing delays and enhancing customer experience, and that the addition of these 72 new cars will also supplement the implementation of PATH’s new nine-car trains in service on the Newark to World Trade Center line, which NJBIZ has reported on.

By the start of 2024, the plan is for nearly all trains on the line to be nine-car trains during peak hours, which the Port Authority says is part of a program to increase capacity and provide a safer, more convenient experience on PATH’s busiest line.

“After announcing a nine-car train service just last month, the Port Authority will enhance PATH’s capacity and efficiency yet again through the addition of dozens of new rail cars,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “Together, these significant improvements will continue to spur PATH’s determined recovery of ridership while promoting safe and accessible transportation for all New Jerseyans.”

Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the Port Authority, said that from countdown clocks to station cell service and comfort on the train, PATH remains committed to improving the experience for riders.

“We’re delighted to celebrate the introduction of these new rail cars marking an exciting step toward a state-of-the-art rail experience for our customers,” said O’Toole.

The new rail cars were built by Kawasaki and transported to a company facility in Yonkers, N.Y., where they were outfitted and tested before being delivered to PATH via Port Newark. The Port Authority says that the 72 cars are part of PATH’s commitment to expand its fleet on the way to increasing capacity in the years ahead.

“The addition of these new rail cars aligns with our broader initiative to enhance service quality, improve customer experience, and boost overall capacity across the PATH system,” said Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority. “With ridership recovering from the pandemic, we anticipate more riders utilizing the PATH system and want to ensure we have the capacity and reliability people expect.”

“With each step of the PATH Improvement Plan, we are bringing better service, easier access, and more modern facilities and equipment into our system,” said PATH Director Clarelle DeGraffe. “Today marks another achievement in the agency’s ongoing commitment to providing the best possible customer experience for our riders.”