SEPTA, Maryland Transit secure federal funds to replace rail cars

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) will receive $317 million and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) will receive $213 million in federal funding to replace passenger rail-car vehicles, congressional members from those states announced yesterday.

The grants are being issued through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, which was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. SEPTA will use the funding to purchase about 200 new rail cars for its Market-Frankford Line, according to a press release issued by Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman and U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle, Dwight Evans and Mary Gay Scanlon. All are Pennsylvania Democrats who helped secure the funding for SEPTA.

Meanwhile, the Maryland delegation secured more than $213 million to support the replacement of 52 aging light-rail vehicles in MTA's fleet, according to a press release issued by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume. All are Maryland Democrats.

"This federal investment will provide the critical funds the MTA needs to fully replace its aging fleet with state-of-the-art rail cars and ensure that people across [Baltimore] and surrounding communities can get where they need to go safely, efficiently and reliably," said Van Hollen.