Rail supplier news from Hitachi Rail and RSA

Hitachi Rail on Jan. 7 marked the start of revenue service for its new metro cars produced for the Maryland Transit Administration's (MTA) Baltimore Metro Subway Link. Originally contracted in 2017, the new rail-car launch marks a significant development for Maryland’s only heavy rail subway system, replacing and upgrading existing rolling stock and rail control systems last updated in 1983, Hitachi Rail officials said in a press release. The $400 million contract calls for a total of 78 rail cars — 12 cars delivered to date — featuring Hitachi Rail’s advanced SelTrac™ communication-based train control technology. As the first project to be completed in Hitachi Rail’s new factory located in Hagerstown, Maryland, the new system will improve comfort and reliability for thousands of daily commuters while providing a modern ridership experience, company officials said.

The Rail Security Alliance (RSA), which represents 65,000 domestic and North American freight rail-car manufacturers and suppliers, this week observed the implementation of the SAFE TRAINS Act. The legislation was passed in 2021 and implemented in 2025 by the Federal Railroad Administration. The rule prohibits Chinese freight rail cars and Chinese-sourced sensitive technology located on freight-rail cars from being placed on the U.S. railroad interchange system, according to an RSA press release. “This milestone is a win for all domestic and North American freight rail-car manufacturers and suppliers, and it’s a win for our national and economic security,” said RSA Executive Director Erik Olson.