The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is inviting customers to visit a pop-up exhibit at Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Station to view the design concepts for its future fleet of trains.

These new trains are expected to start passenger operations throughout Washington in 2026.

The railcars will run on the Washington area heavy rail system, which is 118 miles long

The contract for the supply of the new trains was awarded to Hitachi Rail Washington in 2021.

Under this agreement, the rolling stock manufacturer will produce up to 800 railcars at a new manufacturing hub in Washington County, ­­Maryland.

The new trains will offer updated seating configurations with more places to sit and stand

The original design concept for the new vehicles was developed in 2022, and changes have since been made to incorporate customer feedback.

The designs for the new rolling stock now include enhanced security, improved ventilation and airflow, charging ports for electronic devices, energy-efficient heated flooring and lighter exteriors made of aluminium.

They have also been designed with more space for passengers and updated seating configurations, as well as dedicated space for bikes and luggage and separate spaces for wheelchairs.

The trains will be designed with dedicated space for wheelchairs – separate from other dedicated space for bicycles, strollers, and luggage

In addition, the new designs feature open passageways for moving between cars, which will increase safety, passenger flow and capacity.

The new trains will have open passageways for moving between two cars

The new cars will also be equipped with larger digital display screens that will be placed in locations that are more visible for all customers.

Easy-to-see information screens

Hitachi Rail is scheduled to deliver the first pilot car to Washington Metro in 2025.
source= https://railway-news.com/washington-metro-presents-designs-for-future-trains/