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3/17/2021
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has selected Hitachi Rail Washington LLC to build the system's 8000-series rail cars in the United States.
The contract, valued at up to $2.2 billion, includes a base order of 256 rail cars, with options to build up to 800 in the fleet, WMATA officials said in a press release issued today.
The 8000-series rail cars will improve upon the design and features of the new fleet of 7000-series, they said. The base order will replace WMATA's aging 2000- and 3000-series cars, which have been in service since the early 1980s.
The cars are designed to be lighter, safer and more energy-efficient with improved regenerative-braking technology, ventilation system improvements, high-definition cameras and stringent cybersecurity requirements, according to WMATA.
Hitachi Rail was selected through a competitive procurement process. The company's current U.S. footprint includes East and West Coast rail-car assembly plants as well as a manufacturing plant dedicated to signaling solutions in the Carolinas. Hitachi is currently building rail cars for transit systems in Baltimore, Honolulu and Miami.
Although there are no U.S. manufacturers of passenger rail cars, WMATA included "aggressive goals" in its request for proposals to ensure investment in local vendors, agency officials said.
The 8000-series rail cars will be funded using new dedicated revenue streams established by the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.