Miami-Dade County’s first new Hitachi train enters service

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Photo: AnsaldoSTS.
Photo: AnsaldoSTS.
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Hitachi has announced that the first new train for Miami-Dade County’s Metrorail has entered passenger service.

The train is the rapid transit system’s first new train since it opened in 1984 and, according to Hitachi Rail Italy’s CEO Maurizio Manfellotto, marks Hitachi’s return to the American market.

Funded by $313.8 million (∼€264.6 million) in surtax funds from the People’s Transportation Plan, the four-car train is the first of 136 new Metrorail units.

Hitachi has designed the trains exclusively for Miami-Dade County’s Department for Transport. They feature digital signage, high-speed wifi, bike racks, security cameras and LED lighting.

Photo: Hitachi Rail.
Photo: Hitachi Rail.

By July 2018, half of the cars needed to operate at peak level will be replaced by new trains. All the new trains will enter passenger service by the end of 2019.

Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos Gimenez said: “Today is a great day in Miami-Dade County’s history of providing public transportation.

“For the first time in more than 30 years of Metrorail service, we placed on our tracks the first new high-performance, modern vehicles for our 25-mile Metrorail system.”

Miami-Dade County’s transport department placed the new train into service on November 30.

Photo: Hitachi Rail.
Photo: Hitachi Rail.

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