PATH officials are poised to go on a $300 million shopping spree for 50 new trains, the rehabilitation of older trains and the construction of an electrical substation that officials say will reduce delays.

Contracts for all three are scheduled to be voted on by Port Authority commissioners on Thursday in Jersey City.

The most expensive item on the ticket is $150 million to buy 50 new PA-5 rail cars from Kawasaki, with an option to purchase another 22 cars. The additional cars are needed to handle record-breaking ridership, which topped 78 million last year and is forecast to rise due to Hudson County development and New York job growth, PATH officials said.

After PATH completes the installation of a computer-based train control signal system, which allows more trains to be operated on any given line, the new rail cars will allow rush hour service to be increased by 19 percent, officials said.

Officials estimate that 7,480 more passengers could be moved per-hour during the commuting rush with the additional rail cars. The first new cars could be delivered in mid-2020.

Meanwhile, officials want $79 million to start rehabilitating the fleet of 350 PA-5 rail cars now in service. Components such as heating and air conditioning, brakes, electrical equipment, wheels and other equipment would be replaced.

The work would take six years and require trucking railcars to a Kawasaki plant in Yonkers. The oldest PA-5 car is 8 years old.

Last on the list is the construction of a $70 million electrical substation in Harrison to power trains and signals. The proposed substation would be elevated to prevent flood damage and 90 percent of the cost could be funded with a Federal Transit Administration grant.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

