USA: The first three two-car trainsets have been put in operation on the metro line of the city.
The whole fleet of 39 two-car trains is due to enter service in 2027, according to a $400.5 mln contract awarded in 2017, which also includes an upgrade of the CBTC rail control system.
Each car can reportedly accommodate 196 passengers, 76 of them seated. The trains feature stainless steel bodies and fibreglass car heads. They are fitted with diagnostic and passenger information systems and LED lighting. The interior provides a dedicated space for bicycles. The new rolling stock is expected to replace the old fleet of metro trains from Budd, USA, which have been in service since the Baltimore metro’s launch in November 1983.
The new metro cars were initially assembled at Hitachi Rail’s plant in Florida. However, the production was continued at the Hagerstown site, which was opened by the Japanese manufacturer last autumn.
