WASHINGTON COUNTY, Maryland — Hitachi Rail will build a new factory in Washington County to build the new 8000-series railcars for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the company has announced.
The $70 million factory, near the Hopewell Valley Industrial Park adjacent to Hagerstown, Md., is projected to employ up to 460 people, and will be able to produce up to 20 railcars per month. The 307,000-square-foot plant will be on a 41-acre lot that will also include an 800-yard test track. The factory will be 90 minutes from Metrorail’s Greenbelt Yard, where the finished cars will be located.
“The creation of a new American train factory reflects our ambition to deliver for the United States,” Andrew Barr, group CEO, Hitachi Rail, said in a press release. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said the announcement “is outstanding news for Washington County and the entire state of Maryland.”
The new plant is projected to be in operation in winter 2023-24, and will be capable of producing multiple types of equipment for the wider North American rail market.
Its first project will be construction of the 8000-series Metrorail cars. First reported in October 2020 [see “Hitachi Rail lands contract …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 6, 2020], the contract, when finalized, was said to be worth up to $2.2 billion [see “Digest: Hitachi contract for DC Metro …,” News Wire, March 18, 2021]. It calls for a base order of 256 cars, with options for as many as 800.
assembly occur domestically. Metro receives more than $450 million in federal money annually for capital expenses, which can include new rail car purchases.
Manufacturing group accuses Metro of sidestepping ‘Buy America’ clause for new rail cars
Metro countered at the time that it was not planning to use federal money for the 8000 series but, instead, would look to annual dedicated funding from Maryland, Virginia and the District. Federal funds would be earmarked for other needs, Metro said.
How on earth can the facility in question only cost $70 million dollars?
In all likelihood it’s a finishing plant where the body shells come from out of state/country and are assembled into the finished product.
Will Hitachi break into the North American heavy rail market?