NEW YORK — Completion of an order of new electric multiple unit railcars for the Long Island Rail Road, already 18 months behind schedule, has been pushed back another 17 months, WSHU radio reports.
Completion is now projected by September 2023.
The order of 202 M9 railcars from Kawasaki reflects “workmanship issues,” as well as supply-chain and COVID-19 related manpower issues, according to the parent Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The agency says defects found in the first 132 cars delivered are being addressed, and that it will hold Kawasaki responsible for the resulting costs.
The M9 cars began operating on the Long Island in September 2019 [see “Long Island RR debuts first of new Kawasaki cars,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 11, 2019]. A report earlier this year by the New York State Comptroller said the LIRR was partially to blame for the delivery issues with the order, although the MTA said it “fundamentally disagrees” with that assessment [see “Report finds Long Island Rail Road shares blame …,” News Wire, March 29, 2022].
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