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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has contracted Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. to manufacture 428 7000 series rail cars, some of which will replace 1000 series cars.

The authority received a formal pre-award approval letter on Monday from the Federal Transit Administration to purchase the new generation cars using Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 funds. The pre-award authority for $150 million will be matched by another $150 million by WMATA’s jurisdictions, according to the agency.

The car purchase complies with a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that WMATA replace the oldest cars in its fleet, WMATA officials said in a prepared statement, adding that the car replacement is the agency's top safety priority.

WMATA will use 128 of the new cars to expand service on the Dulles rail corridor. The other 300 vehicles will replace 1000 series cars.