The Long Island Rail Road’s new fleet of rail cars will be delayed another 17 months, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The order for 202 model electric rail cars from Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. was already 18 months behind schedule.
COVID-19 related staffing shortages and supply chain issues contributed to the delay, but the MTA puts the majority of the blame on “workmanship issues”.
Railroad officials discovered several defects when testing the 132 cars that had already been delivered. They said they plan to hold Kawasaki accountable for the costs related to these issues.
It’s now predicted that the new fleet will be ready by September 2023.
The new M9 cars will feature amenities like outlets at each row of seats, push-button automatic doors, and LED lights.
