Hitachi Rail unveiled the final designs and images on Oct. 18 for its new $70 million train factory and 800-yd.-long test track soon to be erected on a 41-acre site in Hagerstown, Md.
When fully operational, the manufacturing plant will sustain 1,300 jobs, with up to 460 people working directly for Hitachi Rail on site. The new jobs will command total earnings of $350 million per year and bring major economic benefits to the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region, according to a news release from the company.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan joined Hitachi Rail CEO Andrew Barr and other elected officials at the site of the future Hitachi Rail factory, expected to be complete in 2024 along Greencastle Pike in Hagerstown.
"It is exciting to see the new Hitachi Rail factory coming together as the associated economic benefits — including 1,300 jobs — will be an absolute game changer for Washington County as well as the entire region," Hogan said in his remarks.
"This transformative project is further proof that the Hagerstown region is a major logistical center for rail transportation with unparalleled connections to the northeastern United States and is yet another shining example that Maryland is truly open for business."
Construction Effort On Schedule
The factory's design presentation included a construction update from Minnesota-based Ryan Companies, the lead site developer. It said that following the project's announcement in March 2022, the land for the rail plant is now clear, and a concrete deck and the majority of the 248 external concrete walls — each of which is 13-ft.-high, 36-ft.-long, and weighs around 35,000 lbs. — is on schedule.
In total, construction crews will require 1,050 tons of steel to complete the factory building, including joists, girders and structural steel columns. The creation of the facility also will require pouring 12,430 cu. yds. of concrete, enough to fill almost four Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Hagerstown plant's manufacturing capability will be enhanced by innovative technological solutions, Hitachi Rail noted, drawing on its century of expertise and global manufacturing heritage to deliver its most advanced digital factory to date.
As a business committed to becoming a climate change innovator, Hitachi Rail also will use the latest techniques to create a factory that uses energy and resources efficiently to protect the environment.
Washington Metro to Get First Order
The train maker added that once complete, the factory will begin work to deliver its first order of 256 new 8000-Series railcars for the Washington Metro service. The contract, announced in March 2021, includes options for up to 800 more railcars to the capital region's 50-year-old commuter system.
When production is at full tilt, the Hitachi Rail factory will be able to manufacture up to 20 railcars per month in a single shift, with the capability to produce a wide range of trains from metro to high-speed services.
"With construction of our new train $70 million factory on schedule and progressing well, we are one step closer to delivering a new, high-quality fleet for the Washington, D.C., region's Metro," explained Barr. "It is exciting to be able to release the final designs of our new facility with its cutting-edge Lumada [data platform] technology. Manufacturing pioneering trains is core to our business, and this factory, with its new workforce, will have the capability to build trains for all North America."
The 8000-Series Metrorail trains are designed to increase reliability, offer modern on-board technology, and an improved passenger experience. The Metro trains will have popular features that include on-board Wi-Fi, digital screens to provide improved travel information, high-definition security cameras, ventilation system improvements, stringent cybersecurity requirements, heated floors and improved regenerative braking, according to Hitachi Rail.
The all-electric vehicles, with 130 seats per pair of cars, will be a major upgrade when they replace the 2000- and 3000-series fleets, which have been in service since the early 1980s. For the Washington Metro, the new fleet will help improve service for its passengers, be easier to maintain, and reduce costs.
Plant Should Be Boost to Hagerstown Region
The Maryland Department of Commerce and Washington County worked with Hitachi Rail to bring the facility to Hagerstown, Hogan's office noted. They hope the construction and operation of the factory will be a major economic boost to the area, with nearly 60 percent of the construction value of the plant and test track to be spent with suppliers from across the region.
Small businesses are expected to benefit too, with more than a quarter of the total expenditure anticipated to go to Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). In addition, it is expected that once the company begins to hire in early 2024 and reaches 1,300 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, those earnings will total more than $350 million per year.
Hitachi Rail's investment in Maryland represents a continuation of its commitment to improve passenger and freight rail transportation in the United States, the company said in a statement. Across North America, the company currently employs more than 1,400 people and has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa.
While the Hagerstown factory will focus on building trains, Hitachi Rail is delivering programs across the entire transportation sector, from major signaling systems to building completely new railways, and supporting rail freight companies nationwide.
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