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On Tuesday, the first set of M-8 cars began operating on MTA Metro-North Railroad’s line from Stamford, Conn., to New York City.

"These cars have successfully completed extensive, systematic tests," MTA Metro-North President Howard Permut said in a prepared statement. "The testing took over one year to ensure that the M-8 will provide quality service for its 30-year life. We plan to put more of these cars into service as soon as they complete individual quality assurance testing."

In all, 380 new cars eventually will replace the railroad’s entire fleet, which serves 63,000 riders daily. Twenty-six cars will be in service this spring, and 80 cars by year’s end. The rollout schedule calls for 10 M-8s to enter service each month, and all new cars to be in service by third-quarter 2013, according to Metro-North.

The initial 300-car order was placed with Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. in August 2006, at a cost of $761 million, with the state of Connecticut funding 65 percent and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), 35 percent.

The contract included two options for additional cars. The contract for the first 42-car option was signed Feb. 18 for $90 million. A second 38-car option was funded at $81 million on Feb. 24 by the Connecticut Bond Commission and with additional money from the MTA capital program. That contract is expected to be signed soon, Metro-North officials said.