Chester County commuters who ride SEPTA Regional Rail into Philadelphia will eventually get newer trains, thanks to a $13.3 million federal grant announced Saturday, Sept. 5.
The money, awarded through the Federal Transit Administration's Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, will help SEPTA start replacing its Silverliner IV fleet with new Silverliner VI cars. The Silverliner IVs were built by General Electric between 1974 and 1976. They make up about two-thirds of SEPTA's Regional Rail fleet, according to MyChesCo.
"This grant will help SEPTA jump-start the purchase of new Regional Rail cars to replace our current fleet, which dates back more than 50 years," SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said in a joint announcement from U.S. Sens. Dave McCormick and John Fetterman.
The grant is a small piece of a much larger bill. SEPTA's long-term plan calls for 234 new electric rail cars at an estimated total cost of $2 billion, WHYY reported. The agency expects low-interest loans to cover roughly half that amount, with grants making up less than half.
SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch told WHYY the full cost would be spread over about 10 years. Even after a manufacturer contract is awarded, the first new cars would take five to seven years to arrive. The agency is reviewing bids from companies interested in building the Silverliner VI cars.
The Silverliner IVs have caused headaches beyond their age. A series of fires involving the cars in 2025 prompted the Federal Railroad Administration to order emergency inspections and repairs, Trains Magazine reported. Service disruptions, including cancellations and overcrowded shorter trains, lasted until January 2026. In October 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board urged SEPTA to eliminate fire risks tied to the fleet, according to Mass Transit Magazine.
To fill gaps in service, SEPTA leased 10 coach cars from Maryland's MARC commuter rail system and in April purchased 24 cars from Montreal's EXO transit agency. Busch told WHYY the EXO cars are expected to enter service early next year.
McCormick, a Republican, and Fetterman, a Democrat, announced the grant as part of a $96 million package for Pennsylvania transit. Pittsburgh Regional Transit received $82.8 million for its light-rail fleet. Both senators called the awards investments in safer, more reliable service statewide.
SEPTA has not announced a timeline for awarding the Silverliner VI manufacturing contract. Riders on the Paoli/Thorndale and other Regional Rail lines connecting Chester County to Philadelphia will continue using the existing fleet in the meantime.
