Siemens Wins $390m CBTC Contract for NYC Fulton-Liberty Lines with LK Comstock

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded Siemens Mobility and LK Comstock a $390m contract to install Communications-Based Train Control technology on the Fulton-Liberty Lines, covering 23 stations across 65 track kilometers.

The CBTC deployment represents the largest single signaling modernization contract in recent MTA history and establishes Siemens' Trainguard MT system as the technology backbone for one of NYC's busiest subway corridors. The project will enable automatic train operation capabilities and real-time traffic management, potentially increasing line capacity by 25-30% while reducing delays caused by signal malfunctions that currently plague the century-old fixed-block system.

The contract includes supply and installation of Siemens' Trainguard MT CBTC platform across the entire Fulton-Liberty network, replacing legacy relay-based signaling infrastructure installed in the 1930s-1960s. LK Comstock will handle systems integration and civil works as the primary contractor. The agreement includes a 25-year maintenance contract with optional extensions, covering software updates, hardware replacement and 24/7 technical support.

Siemens will manufacture the core CBTC components at its Sacramento facility, with trackside equipment sourced from its Braunschweig plant in Germany. The project timeline spans 2024-2029, with revenue service testing scheduled to begin in late 2027.

This award reinforces MTA's commitment to CBTC standardization following successful deployments on the L, 7 and F lines. The authority plans to equip 11 subway lines with CBTC by 2034 as part of its $51.5bn capital program, with Siemens now positioned as the preferred technology partner for future expansions across the 665-mile network.