On the heels of his February appointment, Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek sits down with Paul Comfort to break down a banner year for the MTA’s northern commuter powerhouse. From 98 percent on-time performance to new “Super-Express” trains that shave up to 50 minutes a day off the New Haven run, Justin walks through the big wins, bigger capital program, and the three metrics he believes define rail’s future in North America: reliability, frequency, and trip time.

In This Episode

• The 98% standard — how Metro-North elevated on-time performance across 230k daily trips
• Super-Express strategy — six AM/PM trains, revamped signaling, and a 90-minute New Haven–GCT target
• Grand Central Terminal as a “temple to transit”
• Their nearly $8 billion capital plan (2025-29) — dual-mode Siemens Chargers, battery-electric locos, signal renewals, ADA station upgrades, and the Grand Central artery
• Penn Station Access for Bronx riders and reverse-commute opportunities into Connecticut
•  

Resources & Links

• Metro-North Railroad — https://new.mta.info/agency/metro-north-railroad
• MTA Capital Program 2025-2029 overview https://future.mta.info/capitalplan/
• Transit Unplugged episode archive — https://transitunplugged.com

Subscribe & Stay Connected

Like what you hear? Subscribe to Transit Unplugged on your favorite podcast app, or sign up for the newsletter at TransitUnplugged.com for weekly field notes from across the industry.

Podcast Credits

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo, passionate about moving the world’s people.

Creator, Host & Producer — Paul Comfort

Executive Producer — Julie Gates

Producer & Newsletter Editor — Chris O’Keefe

Associate Producer — Cyndi Raskin

Podcast Intern — Desmond Gates

 

Special thanks to:

Brand Design — Tina Olagundoye

Social Media — Tatyana Mechkarova

Got a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent. This production belongs to Modaxo and may contain information subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual-property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it