MTA opens massive car RFP
New York MTA launched an RFP for 2,390 new subway cars—the largest subway‑car procurement in the agency’s history—with a base order of 1,140 cars and options for 1,250 more, keeping proposals open through Sept. 8, 2026. That scale creates long‑lead opportunities for manufacturers, systems integrators, and consulting teams focused on rolling‑stock integration and safety assurance. (railway-news.com)
MTA has designated the new cars as model R262 and says the order is intended to replace the R62 and R62A sets on the 1, 3 and 6 lines and—if options are exercised—the R142 and R142A fleets on the 2, 4 and 5 lines. (mta.info) The authority created a centralized Rolling Stock Program to manage lifetime costs and commercial strategy and appointed Jessie Lazarus to lead the $12 billion portfolio for fleet replacement. (mta.info) The RFP moves more than 60% of technical requirements to performance‑based specifications and explicitly requires proposers to submit total‑cost‑of‑ownership projections as part of their bids. (mta.info) Funding for the procurement is drawn from the MTA’s 2025–2029 Capital Plan, which the agency cites as a $68 billion program, and state reporting notes roughly $4 billion has been allocated for the initial purchase. (mta.info) The solicitation requests a to‑be‑determined number of open‑gangway vehicles, which would mark the first use of open‑gangway design on the subway’s A‑Division (the numbered lines) if included in the awarded contract. (metro-magazine.com) The MTA’s schedule calls for a contract award by early 2028 and agency officials project the first R262 trains entering service in the early 2030s. (railwayage.com) Industry reporting notes the planned procurement would replace roughly one‑third of the subway fleet—more than 36%—if the full option is exercised, altering fleet composition and mid‑term maintenance and depot planning. (trains.com)
