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The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) plans to spend $153 million to acquire 54 new multi-level passenger rail cars for the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) system, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced yesterday.

Manufactured by Bombardier Transportation, the cars will replace ones that have reached the end of their life service, he said in a prepared statement. The acquisition also will expand MARC’s existing fleet by 16 cars. MTA will retire 26 single-level passenger cars and 12 “Galley” style cars. The cars to be acquired include 15 cab cars, 34 trailer cars and five other cars.

“Our goal is to double statewide transit ridership by 2020 in order to reduce highway congestion and improve the environment,” said O’Malley. “This purchase, coupled with the 26 new ‘green’ diesel electric locomotives now serving the MARC system, is another major step toward achieving that goal.”

The new cars will be designed to operate at speeds up to 125 mph and meet Amtrak’s requirements for operation on the Penn Line, and CSX Transportation’s requirements for operation on the Camden and Brunswick lines.

The federal government will fund about 80 percent of the purchase while the state while cover the remaining amount, according to the governor.

“With this purchase, the MTA will be able to meet the challenge of ever-growing MARC ridership in a way that saves the agency time and money in procuring this vitally-needed rolling stock,” said MTA Administrator Ralign Wells.