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New Jersey Transit’s board June 12 exercised a $101.4 million option with 21st Century Rail Corp. to purchase 34 light-rail vehicles (LRVs) for use on the Newark City Subway and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.



Twenty-eight of the LRVs are slated for use on Hudson-Bergen’s second minimal operating segment (MOS-2), which will extend south one mile between 34th Street and 21st Street in Bayonne, and 5.1 miles north between Hoboken Terminal and Tonnelle Ave. in North Bergen.



The southern extension is slated to open in 2003, the north segment from Hoboken Terminal to Weehawken in 2004, and between Weehawken and Tonnelle Ave. in 2005.



The remaining six LRVs would be used on the Newark City Extension between Newark Penn and Newark Broad Street stations, linking the Northeast Corridor and Morris & Essex lines — two of NJ Transit’s busiest lines.



Of the initial 45-car order, 29 have been placed in service on Hudson-Bergen and 16 on the Newark City Subway. NJ Transit officials expect to have the first of the current order of 34 cars in revenue service by May 2004. Deliveries would continue at a pace of one car every two weeks, concluding in September 2005.



21st Century Rail comprises The Washington Group and passenger rail-car manufacturer Kinki Sharyo.



— Kathi Kube