Miami Metrorail holds ribbon cutting for new train

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
Miami light rail
Expanding the light rail line north of Miami will cost almost $2 billion.

The Miami Metrorail team celebrated the launch of new train into service Nov. 30 for the first time in more than three decades.  

 

The Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) for Florida’s Miami-Dade County placed the first new train into service, making it the first such launch since the Metrorail system began operating in 1984.

The morning ribbon cutting ceremony included speeches by officials related to the project, followed by the ceremonious ribbon cutting and a ride aboard the new train. The train traveled through several stations, ending the trip at the Government Center Station.

Officials described the new addition as the start of a new era in which high-tech trains made by Hitachi Rail Italy are expected to boost service reliability and passenger satisfaction.

“Today is a great day in Miami-Dade County’s history of providing public transportation,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “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. This, along with other enhancements, is one of the many ways Miami-Dade government is improving transportation in our community.”

The project is funded by about $313.8 million in surtax funds derived from the People’s Transportation Plan, officials said. This is the first four-car train of 136 cars that are set to comprise the new Metrorail fleet.

“We proudly celebrate with our customer, Miami-Dade County, the inauguration of the county’s new Metrorail trains,” said Maurizio Manfellotto, CEO of Hitachi Rail Italy. “Today, we are delivering state-of- the-art train technology and reliability to Miami-Dade County, which will help them to also deliver on their promise to the community. This project marks our return to the American market, where Hitachi is now significantly present.”

The Metrorail fleet replacement is being expedited, officials said, adding that Hitachi Rail has added crews to perform testing in a timely manner.

Each new rail car features the following:

  • Automated announcements with upgraded sound
  • Digital signs displaying the name of the next station
  • Four digital monitors for extensive media content
  • High capacity, high-speed Wi-Fi, allowing 252 passengers to access the web while on board
  • Interior bicycle racks
  • Security cameras
  • Energy efficient LED lighting

“Hitachi Rail designed our new Metrorail trains exclusively for Miami-Dade County,” said DTPW Director Alice N. Bravo, P.E. “This means that there are no other rail trains like ours in the world. Thanks to Hitachi Rail, the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust, and DTPW staff, we were able to place the first Metrorail train into service just 20 months after assembly began.”

The DTPW said it expects to have half of the cars needed to operate at peak levels replaced by July 2018, and it predicts that all the new rail cars needed for peak-revenue service will be operating by late 2019.

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