PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority today awarded a contract to Hitachi Rail for 200 new railcars for its Market-Frankford Line rapid-transit fleet.
The contract is worth $724.3 million, not including an option for up to 40 additional cars. Delivery of the cars is scheduled to begin in 2029 with completion by the end of 2031. The cars will be built at Hitachi’s new factory in Hagerstown, Md., which is also building new 8000-series railcars for the DC Metrorail system [see “Hitachi Rail shows design for new Maryland factory,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 18, 2022].
“The Market-Frankford Line is SEPTA’s workhorse – moving tens of thousands of people every day to work, school, medical appointments, and many other destinations,” SEPTA board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. said in a press release. “This is a critically needed upgrade to our fleet, and the SEPTA Board will work closely with staff to ensure that this procurement proceeds on-schedule and on-budget.” The 12.9 mile, 28-station, broad-gauge (5-foot, 2¼-inch) Market-Frankford line, which carried up to 170,000 passengers per day, is current served by M4 railcars built by Adtranz between 1997 and 1999.
“Replacing this fleet is the top priority in our capital improvement plan, and we are grateful for the support of the Southeast Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation in securing this funding,” said SEPTA CEO Leslie S. Richards. “I also want to assure our customers that we have a dedicated staff of mechanics and engineers who are working hard to keep our current Market-Frankford Line fleet safe and reliable while we prepare for the arrival of the new railcars.”
Part of the order will be funded with a $317 million grant under the Federal Transit Administration’s Rail Vehicle Replacement program, announced earlier this year [see “SEPTA receives $317 million grant ..,” News Wire, Feb. 17, 2024]. Features of the new cars will include accessible spaces for riders with mobility devices, strollers, or bicycles; open-gangway design; automatic door operation; digital wayfinding displays and an enhanced passenger communication system; and increased passenger capacity.
Amazingly, the MFL cars are SEPTA’s NEWEST transit railcars.