New Green Locomotives Hit the Tracks on Metro-North Hudson Line

By Y.M. Lowy

Metro-North’s new 4,200-horsepower Siemens Charger locomotives started carrying passengers on the Hudson Line on September 22, kicking off Climate Week NYC.

The locomotives are faster, more powerful, and greener, cutting airborne pollutants by 85 percent while producing 1,000 more horsepower than the old fleet.

“Metro-North is charging into the future with cleaner, faster, and more reliable trains,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Modernizing the fleet gives tens of thousands of riders a smoother, faster ride every day.”

The new diesel-electric locomotives are just the first of many coming as part of the $11 billion MTA Capital Plan.

Unlike the old trains, which ran on electricity only in the tunnels near Grand Central, the new locomotives can operate fully on electric power across Metro-North’s 102 miles of third rail territory, reducing emissions and noise in communities along the line. Advanced monitoring systems also make them more reliable, helping crews spot and fix issues quickly.

photos credits: Michael Carrigy/MTA, Ray Raimundi/MTA, Emily Moser/MTA