At a public preview event, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is displaying its new 8000 series rail cars manufactured by Hitachi Rail.
The new rail cars will be presented at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on 20 March 2024. This follows Hitachi Rail’s award of a 2.2 billion USD contract to manufacture the new fleet in March 2021.
This exhibition will also provide visitors with the opportunity to step inside the agency’s new electric buses.
The new rail cars will replace Metro’s 2000- and 3000-series fleets that have been in operation since the early 1980s.
They are expected to significantly enhance the passenger experience, while also providing easier maintenance and cost reductions.
These new all-electric vehicles will offer 130 seats per pair of cars and will be equipped with new features such as improved regenerative braking, new digital screens with journey information, on-board WiFi, smart doors that respond to obstructions. high-definition security cameras, modern ventilation systems and heated floors.
The new design also provides passengers with increased space between seats and wider aisles, alongside more dedicated spaces for bikes, luggage and wheelchairs. What’s more, the trains feature open passageways for moving between two cars, increasing safety, passenger flow and capacity.
“Unveiling the Fleet of the Future marks a major step for Metro. We took best practices from all over the world – open gangways, more space, better digital screens for real-time information, direct video feeds to our control centre, a lighter aluminium shell, and an eye-catching design – and put them in this train. We are proud of all the improvements we were able to pack into this new fleet and welcome everyone to come out and see the future of America’s transit system.”
Metro’s base order for 256 of the new 8000 series railcars will be produced at Hitachi Rail’s new factory in Hagerstown, Maryland. The transit agency also has options to order an additional 800 cars upon completion.
Delivery of the first pilot car is expected in 2025, prior to the deployment of the new trains throughout Metro’s system in 2026.
“Our Hagerstown digital train factory will act as a flagship for Hitachi Rail’s business in North America. We believe the new 8000 series railcars will significantly enhance the passenger experience for Metro riders and Hitachi Rail is proud to be part of this legacy – continuing our decades long history of transit project delivery in the US. At Hitachi Rail our mission is to provide more seamless, sustainable journeys for passengers, customers and cities. The creation of this new factory in Maryland reflects our ambition to deliver for the United States.”
