MTA delays new C trains until 2022

State-of-the-art trains that were expected to replace the old wagons on the C and J/Z lines will have been delayed until 2022, four years later than expected, according to the MTA.

The MTA originally planned on replacing the old R32 model – popular in 1964 – with the new R179 cars in 2018.

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“There are two separate issue concerning the delay,” said Amanda Kwan, MTA spokeswoman. “Bombardier (the train manufacturer) has experienced some wielding issues and the date for the final delivery has slipped from 2017 to 2018, though the company is actively pursuing strategies to mitigate that delay.”

The MTA also wants to keep extra R32 cars around in case ridership increases and they are needed, but according to Kwan, both issues are separate.

According to MTA statistics, the new train model can go up to 400,000 miles without breaking down, compared to the old R32 that break down every 58,101 miles.

In a 20112 bid, Bombardier beat Kawasaki and French manufacturer Alstom saving the agency $12.4 million, event though the losing bidder ranked higher in technical merit.

Bombardier went with an under $600 million contract to deliver 300 cars.

The delay in delivery will cost the MTA $50.2 million in maintenance and train staff for the next four years.