NJ TRANSIT's COMET V Railcars

	Comet V Cab 6000 MMC - April 3, 2002 Photo by Steve Kay		Comet V Trailer 6500 MMC - April 3, 2002 Photo by Steve Kay

Purpose
NJ TRANSIT is purchasing up to 230 push-pull rail cars, of which 200 are required to replace the Comet I fleet and certain Comet II cars. The remainder will allow for ridership growth stemming from the Secaucus Transfer, Montclair Connection and other services. At the request of Metro-North Commuter Railroad, up to 30 cars (5 push-pull control cars and 25 push-pull trailers) have been included in the option for Metro-North who will reimburse NJ TRANSIT for the cost of the cars.

Description 130 new single-level push-pull commuter rail cars are being purchased with an option for an additional 100 cars for a total of 230 cars. This includes 50 cab control cars with 110 seats, 80 trailer cars with 118 seats and an option for 53 additional cab cars and 47 additional trailer cars. The Comet V cars will be the first cars to be totally controlled by the IEEE 1473 network trainline. Cab cars, new electric and diesel locomotives will have fully integrated controls and diagnostics. All train systems diagnostics will have a wireless connection to the NJ TRANSIT maintenance system. The Comet V cars can be configured in any direction within a train. All Comet V systems can be monitored from any car in a train. The Comet V cab cars will be equipped with the Positive Train Stop (PTS) system.

Cost
Base (130 cars): $140,540,370 Option (100 cars): $ 85,080,422 Spare Parts (Base): $ 7,317,819 Total Cost: $232,938,611

Status
Completed delivery is expected in 2003.

Facts
Weight: 100,000 lbs.
Length: 85 feet long
Number of seats:
Cab car -- 109 seats
Trailer with rest room – 111 seats
Trailer only – 117 seats
Cost:
$897,000 for trailer
$1.05 million for cab car
Manufacturer: Alstom Transportation Inc.
Number of units ordered: 230

ALSTOM Wins Order for New Jersey Transit Commuter Coaches

Nov. 10, 1999 -- The Board of the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) today authorized a contract with ALSTOM worth $232.9 million for up to 230 push-pull commuter cars.

As many as 30 of the rail cars will be paid for by MTA Metro-North Railroad, which supplies NJ Transit with the equipment necessary to provide contract service to Metro-North commuters on the Passaic Valley and Port Jervis lines. NJ Transit is the third largest provider of bus, rail and light rail transit in the United States, linking major points in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia.

The new Comet V car is an improved version of the existing Comet fleet. The 85 foot single-level stainless steel cars will be equipped with the latest in passenger amenities, including automated public address system, LED information displays, automatic doors, and the latest safety standards developed by the Federal Railroad Administration and the American Public Transit Association. They will have bright, modern interiors and be fully wheelchair accessible. The design focuses on a high level of reliability and maintainability, incorporating such low-maintenance features as roof-mounted air conditioning.

The Comet V body shells will be manufactured at ALSTOM's stainless steel plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and then shipped to the company's facility in Hornell, N.Y. for final assembly. Delivery of the cars is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2001, eighteen months after the notice to proceed.

This latest order further strengthens ALSTOM's position in North America and follows orders for bi-level intercity coaches for Amtrak's southern California corridor, and for propulsion equipment destined for the New York City subway and New Jersey Transit's Hudson-Bergen line. ALSTOM is also supplying Amtrak with the high speed Acela trains to link Washington, New York and Boston in a consortium with Bombardier.