The Port Authority on Thursday unveiled new PATH train cars, which officials said are key to boosting service on the cross-Hudson subway.
Three of the cars made their debut at Hoboken Terminal, and are the first of 72 the Port Authority ordered for the system from Japan-based manufacturer Kawasaki.
By the end of 2024, officials said the new equipment will enable PATH to increase the length of nearly all the trains on the World Trade Center-Newark line from eight cars to nine.
The new order increases the size of PATH’s 350-car fleet by about 20%. All the new cars are scheduled to arrive by the end of 2023, at which point Port Authority officials said they plan to run PATH trains every three minutes during rush hour, down from current peak headways of five minutes.
“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 Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
The cars cost the Port Authority $172 million, and were originally scheduled to be delivered in the spring of 2021.
Kawasaki has since reported labor shortages contributed to delays at the company’s manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. The company is also far behind schedule on the delivery of new train cars for New York City’s subway.
The new cars are among the newest in the tristate area.
The purchase is part of a $1 billion push by the Port Authority to boost PATH service. Officials last year completed work to extend platforms on the Newark-World Trade Center line to give enough space for nine-car trains.
This year the Port Authority also plans to install contactless and mobile payments for PATH similar to the OMNY machines used on New York’s subways and buses.
The PATH is still suffering from low ridership in the aftermath of the pandemic. In March there were more than 4 million trips, which is about 2 million fewer than in March 2019.
“We’re glad to see upgrades…
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