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Hitachi Rail seeks to recover over $324 mln over delays in Hawaii metro project

21 January 2025
Reading time ~ 1 min
The unmanned Hitachi Rail trains on the first section of the Skyline metro line in Honolulu
The unmanned Hitachi Rail trains on the first section of the Skyline metro line in Honolulu. Source: Transportation HNL/twitter
Krechetov Dmitry, Editorial Contributor
Reading time ~ 1 min
Savenkova Ekaterina, Editorial Contributor to International Projects of ROLLINGSTOCK Agency

USA: In a lawsuit filed against the City and County of Honolulu and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, HART, the company is seeking compensation for all unbudgeted costs.

The dispute stems from the implementation of Honolulu’s Skyline rail transit project. It is the first unmanned metro in the US and is several years behind schedule. Hitachi Rail is both the operator of the line and a supplier of trains, power, signalling and communications systems and platform doors for it.

The lawsuit alleges that HART failed to coordinate the multiple contractors responsible for building Skyline. This has led to “extraordinary” delays of five years, cost overruns, and the approval of incorrect technical data. In particular, the company had to redesign the wheel profile of already delivered trains because they were incompatible with the switches.

Hitachi Rail also points out that it has not been compensated for “costly and significant changes” to its original contract and extra costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.

The situation has led to losses for the company in the past and at present, while Hitachi Rail is fully meeting its obligations to build the second phase of the line. The section is due to be launched later this year. The company notes that it has had to use its own funds and borrow significant amounts at interest to pay its employees and subcontractors.

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