Hitachi Rail to Deliver 240 Modern Cars for Pennsylvania High-Speed Trains

Japanese company Hitachi Rail has signed a contract with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to supply 200 M5 model cars, with an option for an additional 40 cars, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The total deal is valued at $724 million, with a significant portion of the funding provided by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation amounting to $317 million.

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The new cars will be equipped with modern technologies, including an automatic door control system, regenerative braking, and a digital passenger information system.

Navigation displays will be installed inside the carriages.

Additionally, the cars will feature open gangways, enhancing passenger convenience.

Special attention has been given to passengers with reduced mobility: the design includes dedicated spaces for people with disabilities, as well as for wheelchairs and bicycles.

Deliveries of the new cars are scheduled between 2029 and 2031.

Production will take place at Hitachi Rail’s plant in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Construction of the plant began in the fall of 2022, with a total investment of $70 million.

In addition to the cars for SEPTA, the plant will also produce 8000 series cars for the Washington Metrorail system.

The contract for these cars was signed in 2020 and is valued at $1 billion.

Photo: Hitachi Rail

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